


Where Your Loyalty Lies

by YukiYashaH



Series: Where Your Loyalty Lies [1]
Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Childhood Friends, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fire Emblem: Fates Spoilers, Fluff and Angst, Slow Burn, be ready to see a lot of self-indulgent moments cause i just want them to be happy together, for all routes for that matter but more for revelation, lord and retainer, slice of life maybe I guess let's see how this goes first okay, this is my treat yo self fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-18
Updated: 2017-12-30
Packaged: 2018-08-23 07:28:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 52,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8319115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YukiYashaH/pseuds/YukiYashaH
Summary: Kamui’s kidnapping didn’t go as planned – She managed to get away and ended up at Silas’ doorstep. They were raised as siblings, but she has always felt different; her fangs and red eyes and urges to run amok, what did they all mean? Will going to the castle as the Crown Prince’s retainer help her find more clues? Will the war between Nohr and Hoshido be the answer to everything?





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is going to be the long version of the combination of two requests I received in my blog which I'll post as "Where Your Loyalty Lies - Oneshot"  
> Since I don't have a beta and english is my second language, expect some typos here and there (and I'd appreciate if you guys commented pointing them out -- I try the best I can to comb out any spelling mistakes, but we all know there's always this or that thing that's overlooked, right), but please don't give up on me!

“My lord, is it really wise to bring the princess along?” Naomasa, Sumeragi’s retainer, grimaced for the nth time that afternoon, glancing sideways as they entered in chevois territory.

The hoshidan King laughed, patting his daughter’s head as they walked. “The first step to peace is trust, child, remember that.” He looked to the sun that began to set in front of them. “And I trust that King Garon wishes for Peace as much as I do. Besides, he should be bringing his son along as well. We’ll unite Hoshido and Nohr through the Crown Prince’s marriage to Kamui.” He said for the nth time that day, not once losing his patience with his uneasy retainer.

Beside them, a young Kaze frowned. “But Lady Kamui isn’t the oldest, why would she marry before Lady Hinoka?” He asked, looking up to meet his King’s eyes. Sumeragi nodded and looked at the path in front of them, buildings already beginning to engulf their procession.

“Queen Mikoto suggested that Kamui was the one given for marriage, for reasons that I am yet to discover; She only said that it would do good to have her so close to home. Besides, the princess is my only daughter with the current Queen; I also thought it was fitting.” He concluded, once again ruffling his daughter’s hair.

Something caught Kaze’s attention by the corner of his eye, but Kamui tripping beside him made him reflexively catch her with both hands. “Are you alright, my lady?” He asked, setting the girl straight on her feet. Sumeragi crouched beside his child to help her pat away any dirt stuck in her kimono; it was her first time (or rather, second, but she was much too young to remember) wearing a ceremonial kimono and sandals, which made it hard to walk.

Without them noticing, night suddenly covered them like a blanket. A hiss of an arrow startled Sumeragi, his first instinct to hug his child.

“Gwragh!—Lord Sumera—gi…!” Naomasa groaned, the arrow piercing through his collarbone towards his throat before he fell limp on the ground –he had jumped between his lord and the arrow.

Kamui’s red eyes widened as she saw the crimson of the blood splatter on her father’s back and shoulders. “Nao…masa?” Her voice shook and the atmosphere around them suddenly got thicker. The soldiers Sumeragi brought with him with his procession yelled their battle cry and charged towards the city.

Before the King could get up and look at the improvised battlefield between the narrow streets of Cheve, a volley of arrows rained down on his troops from seemingly all directions. “From above!!” The King yelled. “They’re stationed on the roofs!” He ran towards the back of the march, taking Kamui by her hand.

The doors to the houses opened with a bang, revealing more hidden soldiers. Their arrows swept off the hoshidan party in a matter of seconds, however one of them—no, two of them had hit the princess.

Kamui fell on the stone ground, her legs limp as her back was pierced by the arrows. Sumeragi turned to watch his daughter falling and another volley of arrows incoming. He put himself between the girl and the arrows, Kaze throwing himself atop of her to add to her protection.

“Run… Kaze…!” Sumeragi grunted under the endless piercing of arrows in his body. “Take my Kamui… to safety!” He took out his Raijinto and took a step forward, his entire body save the head covered in arrows.

The boy had been struck with arrows on his sides and left leg, but still he nodded with tears in his eyes. That movement by the corner of his eye that he ignored – if only he had told the King about it! His hands trembling, he took the girl on his arms and placed her limp body on his back, running back to the border.

“I’ll make it up to you, Lady Kamui! Please find it in your heart to forgive me!” He apologized over and over, snapping the arrows stuck on his side in two. The princess bled from her back and head and could barely keep her eyes open. “I will not let them take you!” Kaze yelped, his voice much too young for the adult words leaving his mouth.

“Ka…ze…” Her voice sounded, her mind hazing with the loss of blood. “Papa… is Papa okay…?” She asked, the consciousness slowly leaving her body as the boy ran with all his might, his left leg limp due to the tip of the arrow engraved deep in it.

Tears streamed down the boy’s face, his body running the best it could now that they’ve reached a patch of woods. He jumped over tall roots and tripped over big rocks, but still, he kept going.

“Forgive me, my lady! Forgive me, King Sumeragi…!” He apologized over and over again, the bloodstain by his side engulfing his entire abdomen as the wound opened more and more. “I’ll take her to safety… I will…” He panted, running without looking back; and without direction.

The dark of the night made it harder for him to go on, but still he did. The blood now dripped from his side to the ground, leaking through his legs in a trail of red.

Still, he went on.

Until dawn broke, he ran and ran, the princess on his back growing more and more feverish due to her wounds.

His vision hazy due to the blood loss, Kaze missed a step and tripped on a rock, rolling down the slope that followed. He hugged Kamui the best he could, the arrows on her back snapping in half with the fall.

A scream from somewhere close to him made Kaze open his eyes, his eyelids heavy and his body begging for eternal rest. “My lady… Lady Kamui… Save her…” He mumbled, extending his hand to the fallen princess beside him.

The startled woman was collecting herbs on the woods near the garden to stock up the household she worked for. Trembling, she ran back to the manor. “My lady! My lord! My Lady Lantanoir!”


	2. Vow

As soon as Lady Eleonore Lantanoir stepped on the herb garden, she had to take both hands to her face in horror. “Oh, no, poor things!” She exclaimed, the sight of the two bleeding children almost too much to bear. “Quickly, bring them in at once!” She gestured to the ground keepers who followed the maid’s scream.

Four of them nodded and crouched to pick the children up – since they were both hit by arrows, the men had to carefully carry them so as not to engrave the iron tips more into their bodies.

Eleonore turned around to the small crowd of servants and threw her hand to the side. “Do not just stand there and watch! Bring Winston here and go check your staves at once!” She ordered before she followed the ground keepers who carried the children to the nearby servant’s home.

The boy was already growing cold, his green hair almost grey due to the dirt. “My lady… Lady Kamui… Save her…” He mumbled, life ebbing away from his body through his wounds; the bed under him drenched in blood as soon as he was placed on it.

Soon the butler Winston arrived and started instructing the maids on how to cut the children’s clothes open in order to remove the arrows more carefully. He was exhausting his staff on the boy, but saw no effect taking place. “My lady, I fear that it is too late for him; my staff is only preventing more blood to leave his body – he has already lost too much, however.”

“Do not dare to give up on him, Winston!” Eleonore reprimanded, turning her attention to the girl. Two maids used their staves on her as another one skillfully removed the arrows out of her back.

At the ante-room, another group busied itself by making herb tea and medicine for the wounds as well as fever. The small room started to get too packed with people, so Eleonore chose to excuse herself in order to let her servants work. Her hands still trembled.

The children were around the same age of her own son, Silas, which only added to her sympathy. 

What could’ve happened? They wore hoshidan clothing and were attacked by nohrian arrows (she noticed the craftsmanship of the bloody iron tip after it was taken out of the little girl’s back), but why there? The Lantanoir summer house was located a ways of Cheve, almost at the Border Wall. The only way the hoshidan party could’ve come was by sea – but how could they have crossed the aquatic border and actually manage to run away this far into nohrian territory?

She hadn’t noticed she took one hand to her chin, deep in thought. A nearby page taking notice of the uproar took Lady Lantanoir out of her own mind. “You there, Anton.” She gestured for the boy to come closer. “Have you any notice of what’s happened in Cheve?”

The boy fidgeted. “I didn’t hear nuthing, m’lady, but there’as smoke las’ night, from there.” He pointed in the direction of Cheve.

“A battle?! This far into Nohr?” She gasped, looking at the woods as though she could see the city, then turned to the boy. “I want you to go with Gertrude and Orson to Cheve, Anton. While Gertrude goes shopping for supplies, I want you to go and find out everything that’s happened.” She walked at large steps back at the mansion; Lord Lantanoir had to be informed of everything! The boy followed her, still waiting for more orders. She turned around to him, “posthaste!”

“Y-yes m’am!” He flinched and turned around to the stables. Once there, he would ready the horses before going back to get Orson the coachman and Gertrude the under cook.

Eleonore hurried towards her husband’s study, only to find him on his way down. “My Lord!” She called, their eyes meeting,

“My Lady,” he panted to her side, caressing her face. “Is it true, then? Two orphans of war showed up from the woods?” He watched his wife nod and gulp, a lump on her throat.

“T-they’re so young, my love… Their bodies are so small, and they already went through so much pain—they’re our Silas’—our Silas’ age!” She sobbed, finally letting the emotion spring up on her eyes, safe on her husband’s arms.

Leopold held his wife tightly, caressing her hair. “Shh, Eleonore. We’ll care for them, my love. No harm shall befall them.” He let go of her hug to look into her watery eyes, their green shining in a special light. “I sent Orson to Cheve so he could—”

She sniffled, then giggled. “Odd, I also just ordered Anton to go with Orson to Cheve.”

His lips curved into something akin to a smile, the frown over his brow still deep in worry before kissing his wife on her forehead. “I couldn’t expect less from you, my Lady. Now, take me to where the children are and tell me everything you know.”

 

As the morning turned into afternoon, the bloodied clothes and sheets were piled onto a wicker basket; they were going to be disposed of later. Leopold grimaced at the sight: the boy was already pale, the only thing keeping him alive were the thoughts of his lady’s wellbeing, as for the girl… she had a high fever and the cut on her head bled more profusely than the arrow wounds on her back. Miraculously, the arrows had avoided any vital points, though having them inside of her for an entire night increased the risk of an infection later.

Winston had ordered fresh clothes to be brought to the children, and now both of them looked as nohrian as anyone inside the room – save from the fact that the girl had foreign pointy ears.

Eleonore hadn’t noticed them in the heat of the moment, but now that the girl slept her uncomfortable sleep, the lady couldn’t help but notice. Before she could point it out, however, the door opened with a bang. It was Anton, the page.

“M’lady, m’lord!” He huffed, clearly tired from running from the front gates all the way until the back of the servant’s home. “T-t-their here!” He rested both hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. “Sol-soldiers are here!”

Leopold flinched and exchanged exasperated glances with his wife before turning to the door. “Good work, Anton; you may rest now.” He said before running towards the gate. Their guards would hold out the soldiers only for so much time before their lord arrived.

Lady Lantanoir turned to the servants. “I want the bare minimum of staff around this place! We cannot have the soldiers assuming we are consorting with the enemy just because we have two orphans of war here!” She hurried them with her hands, nodding at Winston.

“You heard our Lady, girls.” He said under his staff, gesturing for one of the maids to hold it for him as he walked around the room barking orders. He assigned two maids for the room as he himself had to be excused to care for the house and for the, say, ‘guests’ that were making themselves known by the gate.

Eleonore followed her husband’s steps and went to aid him by the gate.

 

From his window at the second floor, Silas could see the uproar by the gates. Earlier that morning, he had been forbidden to leave his room because there were injured people being taken care of at the servant’s home, but the boy could feel – if the soldiers by the gate reached those people, something bad would happen; those men looked scary.

“I need to warn them!” He whispered, running towards the secret passage behind his bed. His parents had always told him that that corridor was only to be used in emergencies and taught him the way from an even younger age than his short six years. _But it IS an emergency!_ He thought as he entered.

The tunnel was dark and damp, but the boy already knew the way by heart and only guided himself by keeping by the right wall; the way was wide enough for an adult to crouch and a child such as himself to walk with ease. The underground passage led to a trap door a ways into the woods, west of the servant’s home.

He watched his mother and the bulk of the servants leaving as he tiptoed closer, hiding behind trees and bushes. He tripped onto something before he could reach the house and, when he looked at his feet, he saw it: the bloodied sheets and clothes.

Tears instantly sprung up on the boy’s eyes. They were really hurt!

He scrambled himself up, running towards the door. “We need to leave!” He huffed, quickly entering the room. Clara, a maid just out of her training, jumped on her chair by Kaze’s bed; she exhausted her staff on him, but from a few minutes prior, the staff’s light stopped shining onto the boy.

A sign of approaching death.

Kaze lifted his hand, startled with the bang of the door. “K-Kamui…” his voice sounded hoarse, his throat dry, “my lady…”

Silas ran to the apprentice ninja’s side and held his hand before glancing at the pointy-haired girl. “Don’t give up!” Were the first words out of his mouth; he realized they wouldn’t be of much use as soon as their skins touched – Kaze’s was pale and cold.

His eyes couldn’t focus, his memory on the sight of his fallen lady beside him. Oh, how he regretted not telling his King about the suspicious movements around them! “Is she... safe?” He coughed, blood gurgling his throat. “Promise—promise me she’s... okay.”

In panic, Silas squeezed Kaze’s hand and looked at Kamui on the other bed; Clara had gotten up to get more medicine. She wouldn’t give up on the boy.

Warm tears flowed endlessly from Silas’ eyes, his small lips trembling. “I’ll—I’ll protect her! I promise!” He sniffled, using his shoulder to dry his cheeks the most he could. Instantly he felt Kaze’s grip on his hands weaken.

A faint smile raised his lips in contentment. “Thank… you…” were the last words he said before the last sigh of life left his body.

Silas’ hands shook uncontrollably as he placed his newfound friend’s hand by the bed; his vision blurry as he got up with a determined look on his face. He felt it. If fate had played itself on another way, they could have been friends -- brothers, even. His small body trembled as Clara gasped behind him.

“May the gods watch over his soul.” She whispered, bowing to the fallen soldier. He fought until the end. When she raised her head, she saw her Young Master pulling the covers of the girl’s bed. “Lord Silas!” She reprimanded, taking the covers as he held the girl by her shoulders.

“I promised!” He yelped, his small body trembling. He had barely met the other boy, but he could feel the depth of the bond he shared with the little girl. He would honor his promise. “I gotta take her away from here, now!”

“Young Master, Lord Winston has—”

“They’ll come here!” He pulled the girl with all of his strength, not realizing where her wounds were, besides the one on her head. “Those big guys at the gates—they’re scary! They’ll kill her,” he looked around, searching his memory, remembering the name that left Kaze’s mouth, “they’ll kill Kamui!”

Clara quickly went to the little girl’s aid, holding her up on her own arms. Before she could speak, however, Silas pulled her skirt and ran to the door, the tears rolling down his face with more speed. “Follow me! And that’s an order!” He gripped at her dress, choosing not to pull her hands in order to let her carry the girl with more ease.

Torn between the orders she received and the Young Master’s orders, she obeyed, stealing one last glance to the fallen little soldier on the bed before following Silas.

“You can’t tell anyone of this place.” He sniffled, drying his face with the back of his hands; they were covered in blood and dirt.

The maid nodded, adjusting Kamui on her arms, placing both of the little girl’s around her neck and crossing her own around the rear. She went first into the door as Silas held it out for her, then waited for him to guide the way, pulling her skirt.

They went up slopes and stairs and took numerous turns as the tunnel began to narrow around them, forcing Clara to hold Kamui on her back as she walked on fours. A crack on a faraway wall a ways ahead finally illuminated the place at least a little – Silas had left the hidden door ajar so he could slip away more easily.

Before he could step into his room, however, Clara’s voice made him stop. “Hold!” She whispered. “Take off your shoes, my lord; they’re full of dirt and Lady Lantanoir won’t like to have mud on the carpet. And be sure to wash your face.”

Silas silently obeyed, leaving the shoes inside and gesturing with his head for her to wait as he went into his room. Barely was he done washing his face, heavy stomps could be heard from the corridor. He widened his eyes and exchanged looks with Clara before they nodded to each other and she closed the passage in front of her, holding a feverish Kamui with all she had.

“Is the hoshidan here?!” A deep voice thundered, kicking the door open. Silas was drying his face with a towel and jumped up in surprise. From the tunnel, Clara held the little girl closely, the darkness around her multiplying the feeling of urgency.

 _See, they’re really scary!_  Silas thought, gulping, doing everything he could to control his shaking hands and legs.

“Lord Ixyan, for the last time, we’ve heard of no hoshidans around here.” Leopold quickly caught up with the soldier, using his handkerchief to dry the sweat off of his face.

“A nohrian orphan of war? Pah!” Ixyan spat on the carpet, crudely staring at the entirety of the room. Something caught his attention in the air and he sniffed. “I smell blood. You. Boy.” He pointed to Silas. “You’re hiding something.”

Silas took the towel to his face, his eyes as wide as they could get. The man took two steps and covered half of the distance between them. The boy squeezed his eyes in pain, pressing his hands over his mouth; the memory of his friend and promise giving him strength. Two more steps and the man was already crouching in front of him, the stench and warm breath inches away from Silas.

He lowered the towel and opened his mouth. “Wan agf mai feeth fell jown, shir.” He said, his mouth full of blood and a baby tooth atop of his tongue. He quickly turned to the silver bowl he had washed his face previously and spat the blood and tooth on it, drying his face once again with the towel. “One of my teeth fell down, sir.” He repeated, bowing.

From the door, Eleonore and Leopold exchanged glances.

The soldier squinted at the boy, but before he could open his mouth to retort, a scream from outside turned everyone’s heads to the windows.

“We found one, sir!” Someone yelled from below, prompting the man to smirk with his distorted mouth.

“I knew it!” He ran past the lord and the lady of the house, his boots soiling the carpet. 

Leopold ran after Ixyan, feeling his heart tighten with worry. Those soldiers were bloodthirsty and claimed they were under the order of King Garon to hunt down any survivors from the ambush at Cheve; even children. He grimaced.

Eleonore glanced at her son’s bare feet before her frown met his. Startled and feeling the sting of pain from forcefully pushing one of his wobbly baby teeth, he widened his eyes before looking from his mother to the wall behind his bed – to the secret passageway. Lady Lantanoir widened her eyes and also glanced at the hidden door before nodding to her son and following Ixyan in his mad rage.

But she wished she didn’t.

As she arrived at the servant’s house, Leopold tried to shield her away from the sight: one of the soldiers Ixyan had brought with him had completely butchered the child occupying the bed on the left. Tears sprung up on her eyes instantly. “How could you!!” She barked, being held back by her husband, “he was but a child!”

“My lady, please don’t.” Leopold whispered on her ear, a silent rage seething from his words to her body. She slowly turned her head to her husband, her lips trembling. She found the same expression on his eyes.

They had to comply with the King’s orders lest they be branded traitors and be hunt down like those children. It took all she had, but Eleonore managed to stop her trembling and straightened herself up, swallowing with difficulty. Only then did she hear the quiet sobbing of the maid who witnessed the act, unable to look at bloody room.

“H-he was already gone,” she whispered, hugging another maid who came after hearing the racket. “The boy was already dead when they came and—and—” She didn’t manage to finish the sentence and fell into a silent sob.

The soldier Ixyan had sent to look into the servant’s home returned. “That was the only one, sir.” He reported. Ixyan sniffed the air.

“Why is something burning?” He looked around, trying to identify the source of the smell.

The second soldier stepped up, showing a piece of burned cloth to his captain. “That crying wench was burning this at the back. She said that the butler had ordered to dispose of the sheets since they were stained with blood.”

Clementine, the crying maid, was at the back burning the bloodied sheets and clothes she found scrambled around outside after Silas and Clara had left, not noticing their absence. She was then questioned about the fire by one of the soldiers before going back to the room and screaming in horror due to the sight she witnessed. It had been her scream Silas, Ixyan and the others heard inside of the boy’s room.

Ixyan snatched the piece of cloth from the soldier’s hand. It was the remnants of a common bed sheet. He narrowed his eyes to it, then to Lord and Lady Lantanoir. “Trying to put dirt over the mess, eh?” He swung the charred cloth in front of his face, then threw it on the floor. “I’ll ask again, and this time you better tell the truth: Where is, or rather ‘was’,” he snorted, “this kid from? He’s wearing peasant clothes but if I find out he was hoshidan—”

Eleonore narrowed her eyes to him, then raised her chin. “We’ve been telling the truth from the beginning, my lord. We aided a child injured at the attack on Cheve,” she looked at the small crowd of servants behind her and let out a bitter smile. “What can I say when I’m surrounded by the best staff I can find? They were competent on caring for the boy until the end.”

It was Leopold’s turn to intervene, slicking his silver hair back due to the profuse sweating. “Lord Ixyan, if nothing else? My capable staff will have a hard time cleaning if it takes too long.” _If the blood dries, I mean_ , he thought with heaviness in his heart. The boy didn’t deserve that treatment even after death.

Ixyan walked towards Lord Lantanoir and spoke at mere inches away from his face. “I’ll be watching you all.” He spat on the ground and walked past Leopold, purposely bumping their shoulders. Eleonore stepped aside in time before he did the same to her. He glanced over his shoulder to his subordinates before stomping away. “Let’s go, Polts and Hans.”


	3. Siblings as of Now

By the time Lord and Lady Lantanoir went back to their son’s room, they found the missing child lying on Silas’ bed, both boy and maid sitting beside her.

Eleonore stepped up. “My son, that was dangerous!” She walked over to him, placing both hands on his shoulders. He trembled.

“I’ll protect her.” He whispered, holding Kamui’s hand with all he had.

Leopold crouched beside his son, putting one hand over the children’s. “You were very brave, Silas, but we must think our next step through.” He looked up at his wife, who nodded solemnly. “This girl most certainly is from Hoshido; and someone wealthy enough to have an apprentice ninja appointed to her at such young age. We must see that the remnants of her family know of what’s befallen her.”

Silas’ head shot up, his eyes shining with tears. “No! They’ll k-k-kill her!” His voice cracked, the fresh memory of his friend’s demise flashing before his eyes, overflowing through his tears. “I promised I’d protect her, Father!”

The small hand trembled as he squeezed the little girl’s more.

Leopold frowned. ‘Father’ his son said. That very same morning, Silas had called him by his usual ‘Daddy’, with an innocent smile. Now, the boy sat there, the weight of a forced growth on his shoulders; a foreign word leaving his lips. The frown deepened on Lord Lantanoir’s brow, his heart heavy with worry for his child; he glanced at his wife, finding the same expression on her face. He nodded and ruffled his son’s hair. “Very well, son. We’ll speak of this matter later. You’ve been through a lot today, so let’s rest now, hm?”

Silas shook his head vehemently. He wouldn’t leave Kamui’s side.

Eleonore squeezed her son’s shoulders, “come now, Silas. Let’s talk somewhere we will not disturb her sleep.”

Once again he shook his head, but less intently. He didn’t want to leave her side, but if it meant more rest for her, then…

He raised his gaze to his mother, a pleading glint on his eyes. “Can’t I stay while you talk? I wanna be here for when she wakes up.”

As though corresponding to both boy and girl’s state of mind, the sky started to darken, a summer shower on the way. Eleonore grimaced at the great window and glanced at Clara before raising her chin to the curtains.

The maid obeyed the silent command and closed the curtains, promptly going around the room so as to turn on the candle lights.

Lady Lantanoir sighed. “Very well, Silas. I shall send someone with your meal later.” She bended over to her child and kissed the top of his head, lingering her lips there as she glanced to the foreign girl on his bed. Her husband did the same, though the kiss was on the cheek.

The days that followed were hectic.

Both Lady and Lord made use of their family’s influence to try and look into the situation all the way across Hoshido, however no one was allowed to cross the border nor board a boat to the sea. Cyrkensia was virtually the border, being a neutral kingdom with all of its perks, and even there they found little to no hoshidans.

Details of what became known as the Battle of Cheve remained hazy, though one thing was certains: That was no battle; it had been a slaughter which resulted in the death of the hoshidan King.

Many an orphan could be found in chevois territory after the battle – most of them born at the surrounding areas affected by the aftermath of the slaughter; the King’s soldiers went high and low in search of a specific someone, though they didn’t offer any characteristics.

It was rumored, however, that there were more than just two children with King Sumeragi’s procession. He hadn’t come for battle, that was for sure, though that didn’t spare the young one’s lives. That had turned into a head scratcher for both Leopold and Eleonore, two weeks after Kaze and Kamui were found in their lands.

“The servants present at the time of their rescue were instructed to remain silent about the children’s foreign clothing and accent,” Lady Lantanoir skimmed through a book in hoshidan custom, trying to find any clues of the girl’s origins. “That still does not excuse the sudden increase in children inside the house. We must come up with a justifiable way of embracing Kamui.”

They had heard the little girl’s name from Silas, since she still hadn’t made any coherent conversation ever since she first opened her eyes.

“Papa? W-where is Pa–AAAH!!” She screamed one time, holding her head in desperation, the red of Naomasa’s and her father’s blood spurting on her face all over again. She rocked herself back and forth, her eyes unfocused and her tears, unshed. “K-K-Kaz…?” She tried saying another name, squinting. “W-who is–n-no… NO!” The little girl kicked and screamed, the memories of death, the smell of blood and the faint warmth turning cold throughout the night too much for her to handle.

That had happened every single time she opened her eyes, until she didn’t anymore. Three days did she remain in a restless sleep, tears falling from her closely shut eyes as she mumbled for her Papa.

Leopold scratched his head with the memory, both Lord and Lady at their study, looking for a way to embrace the little girl – Silas had begun calling her his sister at that point.

“Is she mayhap a Wolfskin?” He muttered under his breath after he glanced at a world map. Mount Garou wasn’t far from where they stood, after all. Maybe they would be willing to embrace the child if the Lantanoir servants managed to smuggle her out of the house – out of Ixyan’s close watch.

Eleonore tapped the tip of her pen on the paper beside her book, over which she took notes. “She is hoshidan, however, my lord.” Her eyes trailed to her notes, in search of a name. “Perhaps a kitsune? Those are hoshidan shapeshifters.”

He turned to face his wife, taking one book from the shelf. “It is rumored that they have nine tails sprouting from their backs, my lady. Kamui has no such thing according to the maid who cares for her.”

She crossed the word from her list, alongside the ‘wolfskin’ she had written after her husband brought the subject up. “We should get our hands on a beaststone just for sake of precaution, Pold.” She let out her husband’s nickname, used only by her and his mother’s side of the family, unknowingly. Their eyes met when he pulled a chair to sit beside her by the wide desk.

Lady Lantanoir’s eyes widened as she looked at the map. “My love, I think I just had the idea to ease all of our worries.” Her eyes fell on Cheve.

Leopold straightened his back, placing the map over the table and putting books on all four corners as weight so it wouldn’t roll back again. “Let us hear it.”

She breathed in, then sagged her shoulders, her breath slowly leaving her body; then, she leaned on her husband, her chin trembling. “Poor child. Have you seen how she calls for her father? She must have witnessed the slaughter.”

His eyebrows flickered with emotion, remembering the nights he heard the little girl’s scream from inside Silas’ room. He wrapped one arm around his wife’s waist and squeezed his fingers on it. “So it has come to that.” He let out the air, resigned to accepting his wife’s request.

They were going to adopt Kamui; Silas would indeed get a little sister.

Nevertheless, it was still risky to simply announce to the world that they adopted a child, especially after the scene Ixyan and his men did on the day Kamui was found. Hence Eleonore’s idea.

“Her outward appearance is too eye-catching for us to announce her adoption at this time,” the lady began, pointing at Cheve. “We must hide her ears in an elaborate hairdo and cover them with a hat; transport her with us to Cheve and offer our support to the orphanage in exchange of the adoption papers they will provide us.”

The key word was ‘support’. Leopold nodded in comprehension. They had to take Kamui to Cheve in a hidden compartment of their carriage in order to fool any spies Ixyan had stationed along the road; and make the little girl as visible as possible on their way back. They would adopt a nohrian orphan of war for all eyes to see, though they would need to keep her hidden until she could understand the gravity of her situation.

Leopold reached to his vest, a distinct jingling sound coming out of it with his hand: a ceremonial hoshidan hairpin. Kamui was wearing it the day she came, and the maids who undressed her made sure to keep her adornments as well as the boy’s hidden shurikens and kunais in a safe place before the soldiers arrived. Since the objects wouldn’t melt in the same fire the clothes would, they were kept to be disposed of in another fashion.

Eleonore nodded in understanding. They wouldn’t throw away the link to Kamui’s past. In due time, both lord and lady – now her father and mother – would not only show the foreign set of weapons and hairpins to her, but would take her back to their summer house in order to let her pay her respects to the one whose last breath carried her name. To the boy whose own name was buried into her memories, still too painful to look into.

In due time, they were going to let her choose her path.

Lord and Lady nodded to each other before hurrying out of the room towards their son’s – children’s –, silently opening the door.

Silas was nodding off by a chair placed beside the bed, closely by Kamui’s head, his hand still tightly holding hers. Clara, the maid who had been chosen as Kamui’s personal maid while she’s bedridden, bowed in acknowledgement and silently left the room in order to give her lords their privacy.

Before they could thank the maid with a nod, little Kamui once again started calling foreign names in her sleep, the dreams she saw slowly fading into darkness.

_“Where am I going, Mama?” She heard her voice sound, her surroundings a blur; the same as the woman whose soft laugh brought both warmth and sadness to her heart._

_“You’ll meet the prince you’ll marry in the future.” The voice replied, a gentle hand adjusting the hairpin on her head. “I’m sure you both will be very happy.”_

_Kamui took one hand to her mouth. “Ma-ree? Like Mama and Papa? Happy like that?!” She giggled, though in the back of her mind she couldn’t fathom the reason. Mama? Papa? Who was she talking about?_

_The voice chuckled, though Kamui felt sadness from it instead. “Yes, like your mother and Father…” she trailed off, becoming more distant at each heartbeat. “Perhaps now that he’ll see you grown up, he’ll calm down…”_

_“Mama?”_

The little girl suddenly sat on the bed, her eyes wide and her chest huffing with urgency; the bandages around her head falling off with her sudden move. “Mama!!” She yelled, but soon frowned and blinked.

Surprised, Silas jumped from his chair, wide awake from the startle. “Kamui!” He had let go of her hand in his surprise, but soon held it again. Still breathing heavily, the girl’s unfocused eyes trailed from the bed, to her hands and to the owner of the one which held hers.

“Who…?” Reason finally seemed to sink into her mind, the memories of death and grief blocked from her consciousness until she could handle them without breaking apart.

The boy opened his mouth to reply, but his mother was faster. She sat on the bed beside the little girl and reached for her face.

Kamui flinched, however, unaware of her connection with these people. Eleonore put her hand down and only smiled with compassion, feeling her husband sit behind her, his hands securely brushing his fingers on her arms in order to put her at ease.

“Your brother, Kamui.” Lady Lantanoir managed to say without cracking her voice, her eyes itching with tears. “That’s Silas, your new brother from now on.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the short chapter, especially after the last one being so large -- but this one had to end here since I'll add a time skip as of the next chapter~


	4. The Itch

The first time Kamui asked about her previous family was right after waking up. Anxious, she blurted out a number of questions.

“From now on? I have more siblings? Where are Papa and Mama? Where is this? Why- why does it hurt so much here?” She clutched her chest, her physical wounds mattering little in comparison to how her heart ached. She didn’t remember, but she couldn’t erase the pain she felt inside.

Avoiding to reach out for the little girl again lest she flinched once more, Eleonore and Leopold both explained how Kamui was found on their property after surviving the Battle of Cheve. They used that opportunity to explain how they would properly adopt her as well.

Without memories and feeling uneasy inside a house whose people spoke in an accent hard to comprehend, it took Kamui a few days to get used to the idea of being adopted. She would get new parents even though she didn’t have memories from her previous ones; the only thing connecting her to them were the scars on her body. Silas’ friendliness was a certain factor for her to assert herself.

“I’ll show you around the secret passageways! It’s so much fun!” He whispered once, giggling afterwards. He never played inside the hidden tunnels because his parents taught him how important they were, but with a sister? Now he could go explore everything! “And then we’ll go camping once we go back to the main house!”

“M-main house?” She had tilted her head to side, the restlessness inside of her giving way to her boundless curiosity. “Another one around here?” She asked, thinking about the servant’s house. Silas laughed.

“This is our summer house! We only come here when it gets too hot on our main home! After Mother and Father adopt you, we’ll go back so I can show you around!” He gestured with both hands, eager to become the best big brother the world’s ever seen, the grown-up way of calling his parents getting easier and easier to say by the day. He would be the best big brother!

As expected, during the exchange at the orphanage, Leopold noticed Ixyan’s spies following them, though they kept to themselves. Eleonore’s idea to hide Kamui’s ears was a needed precaution in the end; No one in the orphanage doubted their claims and even if asked, wouldn’t be able to say if there was anything different about the little girl (even her deep red eyes went unnoticed since she mostly kept anxiously looking down, clinging to Eleonore’s skirt).

That didn’t stop Ixyan from visiting on the very same day of the adoption.

“As I said, Lord Ixyan, we felt our heart struck with compassion the day we found that poor boy in our land.” Leopold explained while they were having tea. The maid who brought the cart trembled as she looked at the soldier, but Winston was the one who served, always keeping a level head. Lord Lantanoir took a sip before glancing at his wife beside him. “We had taken quite a liking to him before he passed and my lady here could not think of anything else but being of use to another unfortunate child.”

Lady Lantanoir nodded, soundlessly placing her cup on its saucer. “It will not make up for the life we failed to save,” she looked woebegone, sagging her shoulders, “however I cannot rest knowing that there are so many children in need of new homes.”

Leopold chuckled. “If it were up to my lady, she would adopt the entire orphanage, Lord Ixyan. You should have been there to witness how torn she was right after she set foot inside.”

“Oh, I wasn’t there, but I know, all right.” The soldier grunted, tired of such formalities. He didn’t have the King’s approval to search the house (he  _was_  keeping an eye on the Lantanoir property out of his volition, after all) nor did he bring the soldiers from last time, falling to him to simply check the surroundings with inconspicuous glances.

While he was being shown in, he saw how the little girl had a silver hair color, a few tones brighter than the Lord of the house’s, and how it was styled in a commoner hairdo, with braids all around her head. Little did he know that she was purposely left there by Lady Lantanoir so he could see the little girl before he demanded to see her.

Finding the visit growing pointless by the minute, but enjoying the snacks and tea, Ixyan waited until he was full to leave, surprised to find the little girl watching from behind a maid’s skirt. He narrowed his eyes to her, who flinched in response and hid behind the woman. “Pointless.” He spat on the carpet before leaving, feeling as though he wasted almost an entire month of his life monitoring the Lantanoir household.

“Hmph, what manners.” Winston complained, quickly ordering a maid to clean the spot as well as organizing a team to swipe the carpet Lord Ixyan had stepped on.

"You were very brave, milady." Clara crouched beside Kamui. Silas opened a door of a nearby room he had hidden himself into and opened his arms in congratulations.

"Yeah! That guy's so scary." He said, holding his sister's hand in his. Lord and Lady Lantanoir left the tea room and nodded to the children.

"Thank you, Kamui. I promise that we will not have to meet that unpleasant man again." Eleonore said, crouching beside her youngest. Clara got up and took a step back so as to leave the lords to their privacy. The little girl nodded, confusion and anxiety walking hand in hand inside of her, however a greater feeling sprouting from deep within.

"T-thank you... M-mother... F-father... b-b-big brother." She stuttered, not used to saying the words and still not fully accustomed to the thought of having them as her family; however gratefulness bubbling inside of her. They had done so much (and even talked with that scary person!) just so they all could be a family. It was ingrained in her to be thankful and to try to accept them as her new family.

Even if it took some getting used to.

 

The second time she asked about her previous family was when she effortlessly broke a plate after handing it to Clara during the afternoon tea one year later. The little girl had been busy with classes every nohrian noble girl should have (dancing, calligraphy, piano and history to name a few), and, even though the thoughts of the day she was found were lost in her memory, the contrast of what she already knew with what she was still to learn always brought her thoughts back to her roots.

Sometimes she would catch herself writing different types of words, and Eleonore had Winston hire a language instructor for her, in order to change her accent to a nohrian fashion. Until the time was right, Kamui should not display any hoshidan behavior.

She was having a break from one of those classes when she simply pressed the plate between her fingers as she helped Clara take out the table and broke it to pieces. Startled, she let go of it, the shattering sound as it fell on the ground making the maid turn to her.

"My lady! Are you unharmed?" Clara quickly crouched between the little girl and the pieces of porcelain. "I have been saying that it wasn't necessary to help me put the plates away, milady. Please do not put yourself in danger." She said, smiling softly at the little girl, who frowned as she looked at her own hand.

"I wonder if I was like this before, too." She pondered, turning the hand to watch both back and palm, as though it was the first time she did so. The girl lifted her gaze to the maid, curiosity deep into her eyes. "Everyone avoids talking to me about it, but I know they look--" she used the same foreign hand to touch her foreign ear. "I know they look at me strange. And now this..." She was referring to her instructors and a few servants who always stole glances at her outward appearance when they could.

Neither wolfskin nor kitsune. A girl with blood red eyes and pointy ears -- and now her hand could simply crush a plate without so much of an effort? Who -- or what -- were her parents?

Clara opened and closed her mouth, much like a fish, not knowing how to respond. She blinked and shook her head, concentrating on cleaning the pieces of the broken plate on the carpet. "I think milady is thinking too much into it. Lord and Lady Lantanoir did not mind your physical differences when they chose to adopt you."

Kamui frowned. "But they didn't choose to adopt me. They had to." She looked down, distressed. "The only one who really wants me here is Big Brother." She whispered, prompting Clara to turn to her.

"Milady! Please do not say that ever again!" She reprimanded, getting up and putting the fragments over the tea cart she used. "My Lord and Lady would surely be hurt by those words; they care about you deeply, as though you were born from them."

The little girl blinked and her chin trembled with emotion. "I-I'm sorry." She glanced at the maid, then back at the floor. "I shouldn't be this ungrateful." She whispered, gripping at her own skirt, not knowing that to do with her hands.

In panic, Clara waved hers, not knowing what to say. Kamui's instructor chose that moment to knock on the door and the maid thanked the heavens for the divine intervention. Later that evening, she would report the little girl's words to Eleonore.

"Oh, my poor daughter. It's been but a year; she's still uneasy about all of what's happened." She replied, taking one hand to her face in distraught. "Let us hope that she feels better by the time of the anniversary of her adoption -- her birthday, in a sense."

Despite accepting Kamui into the family, both Lord and Lady Lantanoir kept with their promise of keeping a low profile about the little girl -- apart from the servants of the summer and main house, they did not disclose the information of having a daughter to others; not even the family of their mothers. In consequence, Kamui's "birthday party" would be a very private one, so private one should call it a family diner with special kinds of foods.

Still too small to understand the difference of that party to the ones her brother had had before she came into their lives (with balls and family-gathering), Kamui felt blessed for simply being able to be cared for that much for these kind people.

"What a pretty stone, Mother!" She exclaimed as she opened the present her parents gave her after diner, by the tea table. It was a smooth gem with a purple glow, fashioned into an oval brooch.

Neither children realized that the gem was a actually a beaststone. It had taken Leopold a long time to place his hands onto one. Eleonore wanted to present it to the little girl as a welcome gift, but ended up being satisfied with it being a birthday one. She smiled, feeling a little guilty for not explaining the stone’s powers, especially because of what Clara had reported earlier that week.

“It is a stone that draws out your inner power, little Kamui.” She booped on her daughter’s nose and the little girl got up of her seat to hug both of her parents. “It will protect you as long as you carry it with you, always.”

Kamui nodded vehemently. “Uh-huh! I will! Thank you, Mother!” She bowed, then turned to Leopold. “Thank you, Father!”

"You are most welcome, my little girl." Leopold smiled foolishly. He grew to love more and more the idea of having a daughter. Silas puffed his cheeks and jumped out of his seat.

"I won't lose!" He said, rummaging through the pockets of his vest in search of his present. He took an envelope out of it and took his index to his mouth, in secrecy. He called Kamui over, turning his back to the adults and bending over towards the paper.

Enjoying the secrecy, Kamui's eyes widened with curiosity as she mimicked her brother, and widened even more after she looked at it - a treasure map? "W-what is it?" She unknowingly whispered, putting one hand in front of her mouth in doing so.

"I already taught you the secret passageways inside the house, but we still didn't go explore the nearby woods." Kamui felt a thrill just by imagining going into the forest with her brother and took both hands to her mouth to muffle her giggle.

"Uh-huh!" She nodded and he giggled back, pointing to the big 'X' in the middle of the hand-made map.

"Our first goal will be getting here. Legend says that if we reach this spot, we can see the capitol Windmire." He pointed to the highest peak of the nearby mountain, place which few dared to set their foot onto.

The little girl's eyes gleamed with the prospect of going into such a great adventure and she nodded once again, laughing. "I can't wait!" She hugged her brother, their laughs echoing with each other.

Mother and Father enjoyed the scene, though Eleonore kept a note in the back of her mind to make Clara redouble her efforts in keeping an eye on them -- the only thing worse than silence in a house of two children was the blatant confirmation of future mischief, or at least 'adventure' in her children's case. They weren't ones of doing bad things, though they weren't above of making scenes.

 

Needless to say, Clara caught the children when they tried to sneak out at dawn to the woods, and demanded to go with them as she prepared a basket of food. The adventure was short lived, however, since they were more lost than found and never actually managed to hit the mountain -- it seemed closer on the map Silas studied before making his own, but in truth it was many miles away from the main house.

Even so, Kamui felt refreshed; happy not only with her brother's present, but with the pretty brooch glinting on her chest.

"What's wrong, Kamui? Did you get bitten by a weird bug or something?" Silas asked on their way back, noticing how his sister absent-mindedly scratched her own forearm. She turned her head to him with a confused frown, then followed his gaze to her red skin.

"Oh. I didn't notice," she looked at her foreign hand, the one that itched, and pursed her lips. "But now that you mention it, it's been itching a lot since this morning."

"I'll make sure to prepare a lotion for your skin, my lady." Clara said from behind. "Try not to scratch it any more than this, though. You could hurt yourself with your nails."

It took Kamui all she had, but she managed to grip at her own skin instead of scratching it, feeling it suddenly very hard to breathe. She gulped and kept it together, though, following the trail behind her brother.

Worried, Silas made Kamui rest in earlier, feeling guilty about the whole trip afterwards. He actually wanted to stay by her bedside as he did one year prior, but she declined, her hand slightly trembling as she gestured for him not to worry.

It only had the opposite effect, however, and he took it upon himself to study in the library about the kinds of bugs and plants around the area, in order to find out what could have happened to his sister. Winston had been contacted, though he found nothing wrong with the little girl, and his staff also did not emit any glow when he looked for wounds.

Since they had stayed out the whole day, Kamui indeed turned in for night a little after dusk.

Under her blankets, she trembled. She had felt her foreign hand itching ever since she broke that plate, though hadn’t realized it until that afternoon. Her entire body shook with the memory of breaking the plate, the urge of doing it again making her hands twitch convulsively. “Hahh… hahh…” She breathed heavily, gripping on the bed sheets so as not to give in to that insane urge.

Her hands cut the blanket as though it was paper.

“Eek!” Startled, she fumbled around herself, trying to get out of the blankets. She kicked and squirmed, feeling like the sheets were getting tighter around herself. A great ripping sound was heard before she heard the thud of her own body falling on the floor. Breathing heavily, she saw, under the raising moonlight, how she had shredded the blanket to pieces in her desperate attempt to free herself from it.

Not sure of how to sit, she raised her hands to her eye level, both trembling uncontrollably. Her nails had gotten larger all of sudden; and her teeth throbbed with discomfort as well. Before she could gulp, her mouth agape with surprise and worry, she instantly touched her ears.

Pointy ears; Nails that instantly grew as well as enough strength to crush things between her fingers. “W-what… am I?” She shakily got on her feet, the shadow of her reflection by the mirror catching her attention. She had to slam both hands on her mouth lest she screamed. Her eyes! They were shining!

Tears rolled down from them to her hands, the glimmer they emitted sucking her into them, making their light the only thing she saw.

She held her breath without realizing, bending over to inhale as she wrapped her arms around herself, the trembling getting worse. “D-destruction…” She heard herself whisper and another tear fell. “N-no!” She shook her head, trying to get the best of the urge to run amok. “D-destroy…” She mumbled, falling to her knees, digging her nails on her own sides. Her lips trembled in a denial, though no voice left them.

“M-Mama… P-papa…” She cried, banging her head on the floor. With each hit, she felt the urge to destroy increasing.  _Before I make them regret taking me in_ —She thought, getting up and heading to the secret passageway behind the bed. A glint caught her eye on the bedside table and the trembling stopped momentarily as she reached out for the gem.

Her birthday present.   _It is a stone that draws out your inner power. It will protect you as long as you carry it with you, always._  Her mother’s voice echoed through her mind and, faster than her eye could see, she grabbed the brooch and brought it to her chest, squeezing it with all she had. She rocked her body back and forth, trying to take deep breaths, feeling the trembling return little by little.

“Protect me, p-please… Please, protect me!” She begged, opening the secret passageway and running blindly inside of the corridors. “Forgive me, Mother; Forgive me, Father! Such strange child…” She whispered more to herself than to the walls around her, the more she ran, the less tired she felt. Soon, she was outside, the night air making her feel a chill under her thin sleeping gown.

She looked back at the manor and ran towards the place marked on her brother’s map, gripping at the brooch with all she had. With each huff of breath that left her body, equal amounts of mortification and excitement filled her veins. She couldn’t stop moving, and that scared her; but she couldn’t stop.

The entire night did she run aimlessly towards the point Silas wanted to take her to. Her eyes could see strangely well in the dark, its faint glow ever present in her mind. Her heart shook with grief at each beat as exhaustion began to take over her body, close to dawn.

Her feet brought her back to the clearing close to the secret passageway and she looked down at herself before entering the trapdoor. Her feet were full of mud, as well as her nightgown; it also had holes and tore parts all around.

She gulped, feeling so exhausted her body slid down the trapdoor with heaviness. How could she even go back? Could she ever keep it a secret, her outward appearance ever reminding her of what she did and felt that night?

“Please… protect me…” She huffed, bringing the brooch to her lips as she went back to her room, leaving the dirty clothes inside. She also went back and put the torn blankets alongside her shredded night gown. She would bury that night and forget it. She would become her parent’s normal child!

 

Kamui didn’t ask about her real parents anymore. Fate had other plans for her: Not only did she have another fit two weeks later, they kept coming back at different intervals, making her too anxious to even go to sleep. What if she woke up feeling that way? Sure, every time she had the itch (it always started with her foreign hand itching, hence the name) it happened to be night time. But what if next time isn’t?

Two years after the first fit, Kamui felt that she was on her limit. How could she keep on hiding that abnormal behavior from her saviors? Gripping at her brooch, she once again used the hidden tunnel to go into the woods, not bothering to change into her beat-up night gown and shoes before doing so.

She started getting experience in having the itches in hidden – she would change inside the tunnel, run amok in the woods, go back before dawn and change back before returning to her room – however that night she didn’t care. Her mind was drifting away earlier than usual and the grip she had on her brooch loosened at each step.

Were it not fastened on her gown, it would have fallen inside the dark tunnel, and most likely lost forever.

She didn’t care.

As she stepped out of the trapdoor, she didn’t mind looking around for witnesses, and indeed there was one: Silas happened to be by his window that night and saw as his little sister absent-mindedly entered the woods, leaving her indoor shoes behind.

“Kamui?!” He whispered gravely, closing the book he was studying under the moonlight. He widened his eyes and went for the door, but hesitated. There would be servants at ready the moment he turned the doorknob, and that could bring unwanted attention to his sister. He knew how much she wanted to simply fade back into the background when there were visitors inside the house; or even when her own instructors were doing their jobs.

He stopped himself one step from the door, then turned to the secret passage behind his bed. Indeed, the tunnels have become a playground for the children, though its purpose was never lost on the boy: for emergencies.

His heart tight with worry, he hurried through the pitch black corridors towards the same trapdoor Kamui had just used. Panting, he reached the forest and glanced at her shoes before venturing in without so much of a torch to guide his way, trusting the moonlight and his own memory to show him the right path.

Not too far into the woods, he heard it before he saw it. Growls of a beast and huff of pain preceded his steps as his heart grew cold. Could it be—a wild animal?! “Kamui!” He whispered, running towards the noise. What he saw, however, wasn’t a wild animal. It was his sister.

He gasped at the sight, taking one hand to cover his mouth and breath, the other one tightly clutching his own chest in order to stop its wild thumping. That Kamui defied every notion of how should a young girl – nay, a human being behave. Her eyes shone in a deeper red than usual, her fangs overgrown as well as her claws. She effortlessly jumped from the ground to the trees, running across the woods like a beast; on all fours and a growl leaving her throat.

Too surprised to think, Silas’ knees gave out as he witnessed the impossible sight before him, time passing around them unbeknownst to either child.

She kept that up for the entire night until she collapsed on the ground, exhausted, tears rolling down her cheeks. “Why is this happening to me?” She cried, her voice stretched out due to the fatigue. “I-I’m sorry, Big Brother… Mother, Father… I’m sorry…” She hadn’t noticed her brother hidden behind a tree and gave in to exhaustion before he could make himself seen.

Shaking, the young boy ran towards his sister and hugged her tired body. “I’ll protect you, Kamui! From everything!” He whispered, remembering the promise he made three years ago to his unnamed friend. “It doesn’t matter what you are,” his voice shook as he tried to lift her with his weak, thin arms, “you’re my sister now!” He cried, his lips trembling.

Using all strength he had, he managed to put Kamui on his back and took a few steps towards the main house before collapsing. He sniffled.  _How can I protect her like this?_  He trembled, trying to get up once again. The thought of leaving her there so he could ask for help passed through his mind, but was quickly dismissed. He wouldn’t leave his sister alone in her time of need. He wouldn’t!

 

Still huffing from the extreme exercise, Silas gulped before explaining what had happened to his worried parents, all of them sitting beside Kamui’s bed. He held her hand with all he had, reminding both Lord and Lady Lantanoir of the day she had come to their lives. Silas remembered the book he was reading before going to sleep and gulped.

“She was just trying to get midnight nohrian lilies, Father.” The boy assured, nodding. Before man and wife could open their mouths to retort, the little girl on the bed showed signs of awakening.

“Hng… Um…” She grunted, squeezing her eyes before slowly opening them. She lazily blinked, trying to place herself in reality. All of sudden, she got up, her eyes wide, the memories of yesterday’s itch clear on her mind.

“Kamui, my child!” Eleonore held her daughter. “Do not worry me so, my little girl. What were you thinking?” She huffed and Kamui felt her body freeze. Was it coming? Were they going to chastise her?

“Now, now, my love.” Leopold stroked his wife’s shoulder, as did Silas.

“That’s right, Mother.” He pouted, hurriedly exchanging glances at Kamui after their mother let go of the hug. “Didn’t you know that the flower’s properties are at their best during the night? The glow they emit is good for a lot of things.”

Kamui’s face was a big interrogation point as she looked at her brother and he hurriedly urged her lie back in bed. “And it’s your favorite flower, too, right, Mother?” He dodged Kamui’s absolute inability to keep secrets by pulling up her covers, tucking her in.

“Indeed, however it is still inexcusable.” Eleonore took one hand to her chin, in thought. “To pick flowers in the middle of the night and fall asleep inside the forest? Kamui, my dear, please think of how worried we were! If Silas hadn’t noticed your shoes out of the forest, who knows how long you’d be there!”

The little girl blinked, looking from her mother to her father and resting her gaze on her brother. He nodded solemnly in understanding and she pressed her lips into a thin line. Was he covering for her?

“Forgive me, Mother. I was just so curious.” She quickly looked back at Eleonore, pulling the covers up to her nose in guilt. Lady Lantanoir twisted her lips, ready for a scolding, but Leopold put one hand on her shoulder.

“As long as you understand, my daughter.” He said, urging Eleonore to get up with him. “Come now, my lady, Silas. Kamui needs her rest.”

Silas exchanged looks at his sister before getting up of his chair, however her hand on his made him stay. “C-can Big Brother stay with me until I fall asleep?” She asked under the blanket, already feeling her eyes welling up with tears. Immediately did Silas climb onto the bed and under the covers.

“I can, right?” He asked, already tucked in before their parents could say otherwise.

Leopold snorted and shook his head. “Of course, but do let your sister rest, Silas.”

“I will send someone to check on you later today.” Eleonore asked, however it felt like an affirmation and Silas could only nod before their parents left the room and closed the door behind them.

Just in time for Kamui’s sobs to be heard. “I-I’m sorry, Big Brother,” she sniffled, holding onto his shoulder. “I’m so sorry!”

He turned to his side, holding Kamui’s hand. “Why are you apologizing? You must’ve had a reason for that, right? It’s okay, Sister, you can tell me everything. I’ll protect you.” He put a tuft of hair behind her pointy ear, her big, red eyes wide with his words.

Her chin trembled and she sobbed on his chest, telling him everything; starting from the first itch she had. “I-I was s-so sca-scared o-of being p-pushed a-aside,” she talked under sobs, her hands trying their best to dry her face, however more tears only drenched it afterwards.

Silas pulled away just enough to look her in the eye. “You’re my dear sister, Kamui.” He held her hand on his. “I won’t ever chastise you from being what you are,” he squeezed the hold, seeing her chin tremble with emotion. “We’ll find out the reason for that together!”

“U-uh... uh-huh!” She sniffled and concurred, wrapping her arms around him and hugging him tightly, to the point of making him lose his breath.  _Indeed, such strength_! He thought, almost seeing the world darken around him.

From that day onward, they wouldn’t keep anything from each other. Kamui felt less anxious about her fits; both of them intent on learning more about whatever it was that ailed Kamui.

They looked into every book and searched every information they could inside the house, and even sneaked some questions to their tutors about feral behavior between animals and such. The day Kamui realized the brooch she held onto for so long was a beaststone made both of them open their mouths in surprise.

“Did they already think I’d have these itches?!” She took one hand to her mouth, turning the page of the book her instructor had left behind for her homework on shape-shifters. “I started getting them right after I got the stone, after all…” She pondered into the distant past.

They’ve yet to find a clue to her behavior, even after two years of study; the closest they got was with that book and knowledge about shape-shifting stones. Her instructor was only going to come back in two weeks, since their next class was canceled because the Lantanoir household was serving as a temporary military base for the newest recruits while they traveled towards one of the nohrian training grounds across the mountains northeast of the manor.

The children were confined into their rooms and Kamui, even though still a bit anxious about meeting strangers, felt the curiosity take the best of her as she sneaked out at dusk after asking Clara to make the same hairstyle she wore on the day she was adopted.

“I just want to see them up close.” She whispered, tiptoeing through the kitchen exit, her brother right behind, “they don’t look like that scary guy from before.”

Silas tugged on her shoulder. Both of them had changed to servants clothing as they mingled with the younger staff to help deliver food to the exhausted recruits.

“Ahh, I’m so beat!” A young adult complained, lying with his back on the grass, his arms open and his legs stretched. “The General was stricter than usual today…” He groaned, turning to the side, finally realizing the presence of the children – each of them carried a tray with three bowls of soup.

Silas’ shook tremendously in contrast with how easily Kamui carried the weight. Quickly did the recruit sit down and reach out for the boy, his comrades doing the same around Kamui. “Thanks, Young Master.” He whispered humbly, lowering his head as he took one bowl from Silas’ tray. The boy flinched, exchanging glances with his sister.

“B-but how—”

The man laughed under slurps, looking at both children – Kamui had sat in front of him, holding both of her knees in wait for the empty bowls. “One glance at your face and we can see your nobility, Young Master.” He glanced at Kamui under his bowl, finding no such thing in her: she had curious but hardened eyes, and the skin of her hands looked thick from labor.

Noticing his gaze on her, Kamui adjusted the Simple Kerchief she wore on her head, mindful of her ears, and scooted over towards the recruit. “Is it really tiring, training?” She whispered, thinking of how exhausted she had to feel before her itches went away.”

Once again he groaned. “It is! And every single day, too.” He munched on a piece of bread that was also on the tray the children brought, “as soon I as I hit the hay, I pass out until the next day.”

Kamui’s eyes shone. “Is it worth it? You feel tired, then you go to war and—” The memories of the day she was brought in dawned upon her. She was also a victim of war, though one of the select few lucky enough to have a home to embrace her in her time of need. She fell silent, her eyes trailing to the ground. “Will the fighting stop if you train hard enough?”

“Of course it will! I’m not getting this strong for nothing!” He gulped down the rest of his soup, “it’s for peace!”

The girl’s eyes sparkled once more, her mouth open before her voice followed. “Peace…” She placed both hands on the ground, stretching herself towards the man. “If there’s peace, then there won’t be any more fighting, right? People will be able to go out without fear of being caught, right?” She thought of Ixyan as she said that last part, the first one triggered by something in the back of her mind. She grabbed the man’s arm, her eyes wide. “There won’t be orphans anymore, right?”

Silas felt a pang of pain in his heart and meant to reach for her shoulder, but she blabbed on, the man too overwhelmed to reply as he was bombarded with more questions. “If there’s no more war, then people can come and go safely, right?” She turned her head to the other recruits whose attention she caught. “Then… if everyone fights, everything will be over sooner, right?”

“Ow, ow, ow, hey, missy, you’re squeezing too hard!” The man laughed, a bit freaked out by how much strength she used to grip on his arm, “But that’s right! Everything you said will become true once the war is over.” He nodded, disentangling her fingers from his skin. “That’s why we gotta finish our training fast so we can go help in the frontlines.” He fell serious all of sudden. “We need every ounce of strength we can get for that.”

Kamui took both hands to her mouth, feeling a completely different line of thought open in her mind, her heart thumping so fast she thought she was going to faint. Before she could speak, though, her eyes fell to where she gripped – the man’s skin was deep red, parts of his sleeve torn where her nails touched. Her chest went up and down with increasing speed and she felt it coming – immediately she reached for her right arm, which started to itch.

Her eyes unfocused, she looked at the woods right behind the band of men and didn’t waste any time; she got up and quickly ran for it. Silas dropped the tray he was holding, already taking back the recruits’ empty bowls. “Kamui!” He huffed, running towards her.

“O-oh, hey!” The man reached for the boy and quickly got up, meaning to go after them.

“Don’t get involved, Zhara.” A deep voice said from behind him – Padhra, one of his colleagues who witnessed everything, held his arm. “If you must meddle, go tell a maid or something. If we end up being responsible for the Young Master being lost in the woods instead of that scullery maid, our General will have our heads.”

Zhara sagged his shoulders, a frown deep between his eyes as he looked at the dark woods the children delved into. “Alright, alright.” He turned back towards the servants’ home.

In the forest, Silas was already losing his breath as he struggled to keep up with his sister; the only sign of her was her rasped breath somewhere in front of him. Random branches and roots slowing but never stopping his movements. “Kamui!” He gasped, feeling his legs tremble.

The sound of a thud somewhere in front of him made Silas regain his breath and circle the patch of trees only to widen his eyes in surprise. Kamui had punched a tree, her hand half-way inside of the hole it produced.

“I’ll fight, too!” Kamui’s voice was guttural, her small body trembling with what was happening with her hands and head: scales had started to cover her fingers and small, white horns protruded from her forehead. “I’ll train hard every day; so hard I won’t ever feel another itch. So hard I’ll end this war and find out what I am after there’s peace!” Tears fell from her eyes as her chin trembled.

Another sign of metamorphosis in her body. That had to stop.

 _Promise me—promise me she’s… okay._ The memory of his friend made Silas open and close his mouth, missing his voice. The vow he made repeating itself in his mind. _Thank… you…_ The boy looked content as his life ebbed away; product of war.

Product of the same war Silas was going to be part of, if it meant to be by her side and protect her. He clenched his fists and hardened his jaw as his eyes burned with tears. “I’ll go with you!”


	5. Getting Stronger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to play a game: I put two verrrry subtle refferences in this chapter; one is bigger than the other, but both are about shows I love. If anyone manages to find the second one I’ll name the next NPC after them!

That same night, Kamui unknowingly sat the most formal way a hoshidan-born could. Perhaps it was ingrained in her so, she instinctively did it as soon as she was before her parents, a wish stuck in her throat and overflowing through her eyes. Both Lord and Lady Lantanoir recognized the sitting style from their studies about Hoshido, though that was not the case with both children – Silas looked as confused as he could get once he saw his sister sit down over her legs on the floor.

“Mother, Father, I have a request.” Kamui said solemnly, placing both hands in front of her knees. Silas fidgeted beside her, unsure of how to ask such a question.

Eleonore’s frown was deeper than her husband’s as she meant to crouch in front of her children. “What is it, my child?” She reached out to the little girl who suddenly bowed, placing her forehead on the floor.

“Please, send me away to be a squire!” She blurted out at once, pressing her lips into a thin line right after. Eleonore gasped and took both hands to her mouth; Leopold pursed his lips as Kamui pressed on. “Then, I’ll be able to train hard to become a knight in the name of the Lantanoir family!” Silas knelt beside her and held her shoulders.

“I’ll go with her!” He exclaimed at the same time both Lord and Lady Lantanoir let out loud exclamations of surprise.

“What?! Absolutely not!” Eleonore replied immediately, straightening her back.

Ready for that response, Kamui lifted her head, supporting her weight on her hands as she stretched her body forward. “But why not, Mother?” She looked from one adult to the other. “Isn’t our family one of knights? I know we’re already too old to be pages, but we can be squires because of Father’s name, right? Then we’ll train very hard to become the best knights ever! If there are more soldiers, the war will be done sooner, right? Then we can come and go as we please, right? And then I can–” She stopped herself, biting her own tongue so as not to divulge the real motive of her training – to subdue her itches. “… And then there won’t be any orphans of war anymore.” She whispered the last part, sitting over her legs again.

Lady Lantanoir’s shoulders sagged and her chin trembled as she mumbled an “I’m against it…” before Leopold spoke up.

He knelt in front of his children and caressed his daughter’s face. “We already pay the kingdom our shield money, my dear. There is no need for our family to go to war.”

“I know! But I’m strong! I can make it! I can become the strongest knight our family ever had and end the war with my strength!” The girl’s eyes shone with tears. “I know I can never be shown to society like my brother,” she remembered the visits their grandmother had made because she found it strange the lack of parties celebrating Silas’ birthday; and how Kamui had to hide so as not to make herself known to the rest of the family, “but I don’t mind. I’m thankful that you’ve accepted me as I am,” she glanced to her side, as though she could look at her own ears, “and I want to walk my own path as one who knows how it feels to be orphaned because of a war.”

Eleonore had to cover her mouth as tears rolled down her face. Such suffering! Were they really doing what was best for the little girl by keeping her roots a secret? Kamui thought they were keeping her out of pity! “K-Kamui, it is not what you’re thinking…” Her voice trembled as she reached out to the little girl. “Oh, my Kamui, we are just protecting you!” She hugged both children, one with each arm, and squeezed them on her chest. “Not only one, but both of my children want to go to war? Oh, gods, why must you do this to me?” She sniffled, digging her face on their heads, “so me being overjoyed over the fact that Pold hurt himself during his squire days was indeed a terrible thing. Now I will have to give away my two babies to war!”

“You won’t be giving us, Mother!” Silas huffed, trying to pull away from his mother’s strong grip. “We’ll fight together for peace and then we’ll return together!” He looked at his sister as Eleonore loosened her arms around them, “right, Kamui?”

The little girl nodded vehemently. “Uh-huh!”

Already expecting at least his son to bring up the knight training, Leopold took the news better than Eleonore, though he wanted to have his little girl around for a longer time. He crouched beside them and caressed their faces, his wife looking at him like he was her last hope.

 _Should we tell her? It is not a matter of simple knighthood anymore!_ She looked into his eyes, their thoughts almost being convened word by word. _She’ll be a hoshidan knight fighting hoshidan people!_ Eleonore bit her lower lip as Leopold slowly shook his head, closing his eyes, his eyebrows almost touching in an worried frown.

 _She is not yet ready, my lady. What if we told her and she took it even worse than when she woke up, years ago? Let her make her decision – both now and in the future when the time is right._ He gazed deep into her eyes and used the hand that was on Silas’ head to dry Eleonore’s tears, sliding it to her waist in order to support her.

“Kamui, Silas. Is that what you both really want? I will give you a few days to think it over for I can see that you both are overly excited about the troops stationed here.” He lingered on either child’s eyes, his eyes serious and grave. Oh, how he wanted to see his girl grow up!

Kamui’s eyes flickered with emotion; the big red being washed over by tears. “O-of course, Father. But my answer will be the same.” She stood her ground, gripping at her own skirt over her knees. Silas placed his hand atop of hers.

“Mine, too.” He concurred. More than anyone, he knew how important that was to his sister, and would do anything in his power to see it done. Leopold sighed and caressed Eleonore’s back.

“Very well. In the meantime,” he got up, bringing his wife with him, then extended his hands for both children, “I can make a list of renowned knights who are acquainted to our family.”

Eleonore gripped at Leopold’s chest. “My lord, must we send them away? Can we not build a mansion with training grounds on our lands and ask that friend of yours,” she shifted her eyes, looking into her memory, “ah, Sir Gallahard? Are his squires not known to be the best knights around?”

Leopold’s face lit up. “Of course! My lady, you are a genius!” He hugged his wife, quickly kissing her cheek. “It was never my plan to send them away, but yours is indeed much better than what I could have come up with.” He turned to the children. “How does that sound? You both will always be close to home, that way.”

Silas and Kamui both had their eyes and mouths wide in surprise. Being sent into squire training meant to serve under a knight until they would acknowledge the apprentice useful and worthy of learning the ways of the blade, shield and mounting. Only at age 21 on the latest were the squires able to become knights, spending their whole lives under their master’s bidding until then. To be able to train and still be close to home was most wonderful news, indeed!

“Thank you, Father! Thank you, Mother!” They laughed, hugging each parent with the most of their strength.

They had the same talk a week later, after the recruits stationed on their lands had left. Both children still had the same opinion and, expecting that, Leopold had already sent a letter to his former master, Sir Gallahard.

The reply would come another five days later, alongside an invitation for Father and squires-to-be to visit. Eleonore pursed her lips in distress.

“What if he wants them to have an extended stay and keep them there for as long as it takes for the mansion to be completed?” She felt her heart tighten with worry. The details of the facilities to be built inside the new manor would be discussed in person with Sir Gallahard, but they were already assembling a team of laborers to start hardening the land onto which it would be built.

Watching as his wife went back and forth on the study, grasping on the locket into which she kept three silver locks of hair – from the three most important people of her life –, Leopold only smiled. “If that it is so, my lady, we are not forbidden to visit them.”

In his invitation, Sir Gallahard left it open for interpretation whether their training would begin right away or if he would have the meeting with Leopold before deciding the date; with that in mind, Eleonore made her husband take their children’s personal maids as well as luggage, just in case.

On the day of the departure, Lady Lantanoir knelt before her children, touching both of their cheeks with her hands, her eyes watery with tears. “If your training begins right away, remember that it will take at least one year for the new mansion to be completed, my children.” She lingered on each of their faces, her chin trembling. They were so small! How could they already feel the need of lifting a weapon? “And Kamui, remember our promise.” She hardened her gaze to the little girl, who concurred solemnly.

“Of course, Mother. I won’t abandon the lessons on how to be a proper lady nor my studies.” She touched her mother’s arm with her free hand, the other one tightly holding her brother’s. Once again was she wearing the braid around her head in order to hide her pointy ears – they _would_ stay four nights on the road, after all. “Thank you for everything, Mother.” She looked down at her brooch, securely pinned over her heart.

“Oh, my child!” Eleonore hugged Kamui, squeezing the little girl in her embrace before turning to Silas and doing the same. “Be good, hm? To each other and to your master.” She pulled away in order to caress her son’s face. He was already so grown up with that decided glint on his eyes.

They started to well up, however. “We will, Mother.” His voice shook with emotion and he gulped so as not to sob.

Leopold chuckled behind them, bending over to his family with a smile. “Come now, my love. You will be able to visit them at any time you wish it. Besides, they should be back in less than two years to the new manor right beside our own.” He patted both children’s heads, his eyes and smile as tender as they could be while he looked at his wonderful wife. The place for their new mansion was a few miles away from the main house; half a day ride of distance.

Lady Lantanoir sniffled and dried her tears with a handkerchief before getting up and doing something akin to a pout. “I understand that, my lord. It is still very hard to say goodbye.” She gave a small wave to her children, trying to suppress more tears from falling. They almost tackled her in a quick hug before running to the carriage, Kamui taking the long way around so as not to be on the horses’ line of sight. Lord Lantanoir took a step towards his wife, softly caressing her still wet cheek.

“I will be going now, my lady. Worry not for they will be in good hands.” He placed a kiss on her forehead, her hand lingering atop of his as she tilted her head to the side to enjoy his caress, a stubborn tear falling from her eye as they pulled away. “I leave it to you to oversee the terrain for the construction.”

She concurred as he dried her tear with his gloved hand. “Of course, my love.”

 

Kamui prayed for every god she knew of every night before going to sleep. _May I not have an itch during the trip_ , she thought fervently as she clasped both hands together in prayer. She meant to ask ‘may I not have another itch ever’, but the occurrence has been happening for the last four years without fail, so she did not have much hope of having it stop in consequence of a prayer.

She wished, however, that her training would make her stronger to subdue completely the urge to run amok – she wanted, deep in her heart, to live normally alongside her adopted family after ending the war; but for that, she needed to _be_ normal.

Her heart was pounding by her ear by the time they arrived safely, no itch ensuing during their way to the Gallahard property. The outside gates were open, expecting the visits, and both Kamui and Silas glued themselves on either window of the carriage, the view breathtaking for them.

Despite the lack of greenery around the entirety of Nohr (apart from the forest at the back of the servants’ home in the Lantanoir property, hardly any green was found on the premises), Gallahard’s property had a most impressive garden, with numerous kinds of different trees as well as displays of topiary on the bushes around the paved road that led to the main house. The shapes varied from animals to layered cuts on the tallest bushes, making it harder and harder for the children to imagine how a knight so impressive as their father’s former master could have such wonderful taste in gardening.

The little girl adjusted her hairdo one last time before stepping out of the carriage once they arrived at the main entrance, already sighting a butler from afar as he approached the party.

“Greetings, my lords, my lady.” He bowed to each one of the three nobles, a gleeful smile on his face. “I am called Claude, and I serve as this mansion’s butler. It is a pleasure to meet you.” He slowly closed his eyes in acknowledgment, his smile quickly turning into a worried frown. “Sadly, I am ashamed to inform that my lord has gone hunting earlier this morning and is yet to return.” He placed one hand over his heart in apology, never actually stopping with his mid-way bow. “If you wish it, I can direct you to the tea room.”

Without a break from the butler to start their introductions, the children stood firmly on each side of their father’s, holding either of his hands. Kamui curtsied and Silas bobbed his head in response to the butler’s hasty presentation, the former cautiously looking around as the later managed to keep his eyes fixated on Claude. Leopold gave the servant a tired chuckle before gesturing with his head to the sky; it was mid-afternoon.

“As much as I would love to wait, Lord Claude, I would prefer to be taken to my chambers and rest in wait for Sir Gallahard’s return.” He glanced over his shoulder, signaling the second carriage which transported Silas’ and Kamui’s personal servants as well as their luggage. “And, of course, I would like you to accommodate them as well, as long as you accept my apologies first for not informing of their addition to our escort.”

“My, think nothing of it, milord.” Claude clapped and the door to the mansion opened above the small set of stairs a ways above him, a group of maids quickly making their way beside the butler. Without so much of a glance in their direction, he started to give his orders.

Soon, the maids had started to guide the Lantanoir servants to their designated rooms; Claude looked at both children with an amiable smile, both hands still clasped together in amusement. “Would the Young Master and Young Mistress like a tour around the manor or would you two join your father and rest until my lord returns?”

They exchanged glances with their father between them, Kamui’s eyes shining with curiosity. They both nodded and turned to the butler.

“Thank you for the offer, Lord Claude.” Kamui curtsied once again, never letting go of Leopold’s hand. “It would be most pleasing to have a tour around such well-kept mansion,” she turned to Silas, “would you not think so, Brother?”

The boy concurred. “Of course, Sister.” He looked at Claude, “would you be so kind as first and foremost to guide us through the gardens, Lord Claude? It has a splendorous beauty even for someone so young such as ourselves.”

The butler took one hand to his round mouth in delight. _Such well-behaved little children_! He wondered for how long they would last with his master. “My, indeed I could! Follow me to your chambers before we start exploring outside.”

 

After accompanying their father to his chambers and being escorted to their own, the children followed Claude throughout the most impressive gardens. The butler was ecstatic: he was extremely proud of his work with the gardens; a memory of the late Lady Gallahard.

“This, Young Master and Mistress, is my pride and joy,” he gestured to a topiary sculpture beside the center of the garden onto which lay a white gazebo: the live statue of Sir Gallahard in his prime, lifting a bastard sword three times larger than usual overhead as he stepped onto a defeated boar.

“Wow!” Both children looked in amusement; Silas stood on his toes so as to get a closer look on the details (the sculpture was three meters tall) whereas Kamui circled it with interest, trying to imagine the scene that inspired the art.

“Bahahah! You never get ‘nuff of showin’ thisa’ bush to everyone who visits, eh, Claude?” A loud laughter startled both children, making them jump towards the voice as the butler opened his arms in a warm welcome.

“My lord! I was about to call for you – but now I see the reason why you stayed out so late.” He looked at the prey his master effortlessly carried over his shoulder, “a buck! We’ll have leftovers tonight.”

Sir Gallahard let out another bark of laughter and handed the buck to the butler, who also effortlessly put it over his shoulder – despite his appearance (tall, fair skinned and slender), Claude was one of the famous ‘Gallahard’s Power Attachés’, as was the rest of the staff working at that mansion – and immediately began the introductions as though there was nothing wrong with carrying a 70 kilos buck while they talked.

“My lord, those two are the rumored squires-to-be; Lady Kamui and Lord Silas.” He gestured to the children, who were still in awe with the nonchalant exchange between both men, as well as Sir Gallahard’s bearing: He had rust-colored, short hair, a strong and wide build as well as a black eye-patch over his right eye. His clothes were a mess, a given, taking into consideration what he was doing just before; but they only added to the wildness of his demeanor.

His wide mouth smirked and he bended over towards the children; he was so much taller than their father! Everything about him was amusing, down to the garden which contrasted even more to his appearance. “So those’re the squirts Leopold brought, eh?”

Kamui was the first to snap out of the bewilderment and curtsied. “It is a pleasure to finally meet you, my lord. I am called Kamui; it shall be the highest of honors to—”

“Psh, drop the formal speech, girlie.” He waved with his hand, dismissing her efforts to show her noble bearing as her mother instructed her to. Silas was mid-way to his introduction and shut his mouth in awe. “Now, do it again.” He crossed his arms, the smirk never leaving his face.

The little girl felt drawn to his upbeat nature and immediately obeyed. “Okay, Master.” She nodded. “I’m Kamui and this is my brother Silas. We want you to train us to be knights, as our father mentioned on his letter.” She curtsied once more, giving the chance for her brother to properly introduce himself.

“I’m Silas, Sir Gallahard. It’s an honor.” He bowed, then glanced at his sister, not noticing as Claude silently left in order to leave them to their privacy. “I make my sister’s words mine and I would be immensely thankful if you would train us.”

Sir Gallahard took one hand to his chin, evaluating their performance. “Hmm, you’re still stiff, boy, but I’ll take’t.” His deep, hoarse voice spoke with a smile, which still remained even though his eyes changed completely. “You two sound real nice an’ proper, but ya realize I ain’t training ya easy, eh?” He crouched, getting into the children’s eye level. “Ya’ll too proper for my taste, if I’m bein’ honest. Do you even know what death is? ‘Cause ya’re about to experience it in me hands.” He let out a low and dark laugh, sending chills to Silas’ spine.

The boy immediately remembered about his deceased friend and felt the color leave his body. No such flashback occurred to Kamui, however, and she just stared back at their master-to-be. “Death is the termination of all biological functions that sustain an organism, according to the dictionary, my lord.” She replied with a derisive snicker to which Gallahard replied with a loud laughter.

“Yas! Bahaha, that’s it! I like ya already, girlie!” He ruffled both children’s hairs, though the mirth stayed only at first. “Here’s hopin’ you’ll last more than that dad of yours. And that your bodily functions don’t stop, Bahah!” He got up and meant to turn around, but Kamui’s hand on his sleeve made him stop.

“I’m not afraid of training hard, my lord. But I must tell you something.” She had to bend her neck backwards in order to look at the tall man in the eye as Silas gasped beside her. Before he could say anything, however, she undid the knot biding her braid around her head and covering her ears. “If I am to train under you for next decade, I can’t hide this.”

The man frowned and crouched once more, a hand over his chin as he stared at Kamui’s pointy ears. “Yeah, that’s nice and dandy, but why are ya showin’ ya ears to me? You a wolfskin or something?”

Her hands flinched as they undid the braids and put the hair behind the ears. “I don’t know. I’m stronger than I look and the reason I’m asking to be trained, even though I really do feel that the war should end so as not to produce more orphans – the real reason – is that I can become strong enough to be able to control whatever it is that I have inside of me.” She glanced at her brother, thence at the house, imagining her father, then finally dug her eyes deep into the knight’s. “I want to get stronger so I won’t hurt my family with this… beast… I have inside of me.” She spoke with disgust and guilt, clutching her hand on the brooch by her breast.

Sir Gallahard, still with one hand over his chin, remained silent as he scrutinized the little girl, then, all of sudden, he gave her a strong pat on her back, making her trip. “Yer heart’s in the right place, girlie, but before ya can talk ‘bout protectin’ and gettin’ stronger, yer gonna have to learn two things about death,” he raised his index, “One: I’m gonna train you so hard yer gonna wish you were dead, or ‘t least yer gonna experience it. Two: _After_ experiencing it, yer gonna hafta ponder if you’ll be able to deliver that last blow to another human being, yer enemy.” He smirked as both children’s faces fell with confusion and bewilderment. “ _Then_ ya can come back ta me with that speech.”

After setting the details straight with Lord Lantanoir, Sir Gallahard immediately set to action: he dismissed Silas’ and Kamui’s personal servants, since he would start training them from scratch, even though they were too old to be pages. He made them run errands, help out with the house work all the while making them train their bodies and resistance.

The new mansion would take 18 months to be completed, so, in the meantime, Sir Gallahard had almost free reign to train them under his own conditions at his lands. He made them march through the bumpy terrain of the forest behind his mansion while carrying burdens as heavy as their own weights almost daily; also made them travel the wild currents of the rapids which cut deep into the woods as well as made them skin and clean the freshly caught game that he caught while he watched them train.

The first time they had to witness it, they had different basis for their reactions, although both of them trembled and felt faint: Kamui realized that the meat they ate came from the animals she sometimes saw in the forest, but the blood made her feel her legs shake; Silas remembered the fateful day which he met his sister once the first animal was cut open in front of him and had to hold his breath and close his eyes so as not to lose consciousness.

The days started to merge together for both children; they woke up before the sun rose and went to sleep at that same darkness. Kamui was overjoyed, however, despite the broken bones and near-death experiences from fatigue: The time between her itches increased dramatically. Before, they happened once every five or eight days; now, only once in fifteen to twenty days! She couldn’t be happier!

“Getting tired really was the answer…!” She huffed once as she crossed the rapids with the weights wrapped around her body and by her back. Additionally, the little girl noticed that, during winter or especially cold periods of time, her itches would be as sparse as forty days between one another. As though her inner beast went dormant.

Training was also most difficult during these times. Her body was slower and she succumbed easier to cold than what was expected to a person her age – Silas himself had to carry her numb and half-frozen body back from training at the woods because she had got unresponsive and her lips had gone purple. Whatever she was, the cold was her natural enemy.

At the beginning, Silas was left behind by her progress – since she was already more physically fit than him from the start, he had to work harder than ever to catch up, and that didn’t escape Gallahard’s watchful gaze.

Silas had more discipline and focused more on the control over his own body; Kamui, on the other hand, went overboard with her training in order to get stronger as quickly as possible, which made their master start to devise their knightly training regimen during the first two years.

Lady Lantanoir did not visit as often as she wanted to – she would rather prolong her stay when she did in order to keep by her children’s side at all times, and also to make sure they would not fall behind on their social studies despite seeing how tired they were every day.

She almost cried with relief when they moved back into the Lantanoir lands – after all, a half-day ride was _much_ more feasible than a five-day one. Even after such a short time away and added to all of her visits, she was still surprised to see how much they’ve grown and how hardy they’ve become.

“Oh, my children! I know that this is a bit late, but are you sure that this is what you want? He still hasn’t started weapon training, right?” She asked one eve, checking their complexion as well as skin for scars deeper than scratches. “Look at how ragged you’ve become in such short time…” She mourned for her little girl’s fair skin as well as her little boy’s flawless hair and hands.

Leopold chuckled from behind her as he patted both children’s heads, content with their progress. “You take their dedication lightly, my lady.” He shook his head with nostalgia, remembering the hell on earth Sir Gallahard made him go through – still, he didn’t resent his former master for that. He could say proudly that he was stronger in body and mind thanks to the intense training he went through in his youth. “Were it not for my wound, I would have enjoyed to keep up with my training.”

Eleonore quickly turned to her husband, a frown deep between her eyes. “Do not ever say that again, Pold! It pains me enough to see my children being thrown to every side as dirty rags… I would not bear it if you left me as well.”

Both father and son faltered with Eleonore’s display of weakness. Silas spoke up first. “But we’re finally back, Mother! Now you’ll be able to see us every day; it’s like we didn’t leave you at all!”

Kamui concurred. “Uh-huh! Plus we’ll only get stronger from now on, Mother! You won’t lose us, I promise!” She assured with a big smile on her face, the biggest Lord and Lady Lantanoir had ever seen. It was as though their little girl had found her calling in life – being a knight-in-training (Eleonore liked to think of it as that rather than ‘squire’) brought her more happiness than simply being a nohrian noblewoman and that made the task of accepting her choice a tad easier.

They had a family dinner for the first time in the last two years, and Eleonore held her tongue due to the occasion, but she noticed how much informal her children’s speech had become ever since coming back. She would need to bring back their language tutor and plan another studying schedule for them, but that was for another time.

 

After observing the duo for the past two years and watching them grow into decent squires, Sir Gallahard decided that he would start letting them brandish practice weapons once they’ve built a bit more muscle on the next twelve months.

“Yer can’t learn jack about weapons before bein’ able to hold ‘em properly. To do so, yer gonna need a whole different set of muscles than the ones yer been training these past months.” He said one day before dawn broke, all three of them barefoot on the grass right beside the forest’s entrance. He separated his knees and got into battle instance. “I’m gonna teach ya the army’s hand to hand combat startin’ today. If ya hadn’t wished you were dead ‘fore, yer gonna wish it now.” He laughed aloud, though his threats brought no more fear to either child.

They’ve already had countless near-death experiences and their master would always be there in all of them. Kamui smiled proudly and copied his stance, eager to learn. “Don’t go easy on us, Master!”

“Haw, haw! ‘s what I like to hear, girlie!” He barked a laughter, signaling with his chin for them to take their positions. He wanted to see how long they would be able to stand in there doing basic exercises.

The only break they took was to have a quick lunch, but that was enough for Kamui to feel _it_.

“No…!” She whispered, feeling her body grow cold as her vision started to blur. “Not during the day!” They were walking back to their positions, their master ever attentive to their movements as she hurriedly glanced at Silas, the red of her eyes starting to glow.

The boy gasped with surprise and looked back at Sir Gallahard and then at his trembling sister. “Um, Master!” He stopped walking and turned to the knight as Kamui kept walking at an increasingly faster pace towards the woods. “I actually had a question abou—“

“Hey, where’s your sister goin’? The latrines ain’t that way; and break time’s over!” He glowered, pushing the boy aside so as to follow Kamui. “HEY!”

“N-no, Master! Please, stay here!” Silas tried with all he had to pull Sir Gallahard’s hand, but the man simply dragged the boy along his impatient walk. Panicking, Silas looked around for a way to stop him as they entered the woods. Finding none, he resorted to screaming. “Run! Run, Kamui! As fast as you can!”

Gallahard looked at the boy as though he had grown a third arm, finding the whole exchange too crazy for words. The sound of a rustling bush somewhere in front of them made they quickly turn their heads towards it. A tired huff came from behind it.

“I… I can’t!” Kamui cried, feeling her forehead throb because of the long unseen horns, kneeling on the ground and holding her entire body as though it could simply break down due to the trembling. She was already exhausted from training during the entire morning until that afternoon break; her body sought rest as her mind screamed destruction.

Silas ran towards her voice, trying to shield her from their Master’s gaze. He could still see her from his tall height, however, and only let out an understanding “Huh,” as he crossed his arms. He crouched, pushing Silas aside with one hand, the other one flicking one of Kamui’s horns. “So this is the reason for yer training?”

Huffing in pain as her head spinned, Kamui only managed to gulp with her dry throat and nod. Gallahard flicked her other horn with more strength as a response.

“And yet yer hiding out here while ya could be trainin’! Has these two years been for nothin’, Kamui?!” His voice was deep and reprimanding, the depth of his scolding more profound due to his use of her name, a rare occasion between him and his squires. “So yer gonna let yer ‘inner beast’ as ya called take over ya anytime it wants?!”

Her eyes watery with tears, Kamui’s chin trembled. “D-do you really think I can control it?”

“Hell if I know! Yer the one with the horns here, ain’t ya?” He replied immediately, making her feel her stomach fall. “But lemme tell ya one thing,” he pointed centimeters from her face, “if it were happenin’ to me, all’a this,” he looked from her head to the scaled spots on her arms and finally to her overgrown claws, “I wouldn’t rest one single day until I could kick this beast in the face an’ tell ‘em ‘I won!’”

Kamui’s trembling stopped.

She started to be able to focus again, and her glowing, red eyes stared deep into her Master’s. “Make me even stronger, Master. So I can never succumb to this again!”

Gallahard guffawed and patted her back with tremendous force, making her almost hit her face on the ground. “Tha’s my girlie! Now, le’s go back to training!”

“A-at the open field, sir?” Silas stuttered, helping his sister up. “Pray, let us train in here, or at least wait for her to turn back…” His sister’s hand on his arm made him stop.

“We don’t have to wait,” she panted, still feeling her heart race and her vision blur, “but can’t we stay in here, Master? I would rather not be seen.”

The knight crossed his arms once again, ready for a retort; but decided against it. “I was gonna say that ya gotta man up an’ go around wearing yer horns, but aight. I’ll devise a training regimen for when ya morph into this—yer don’t know what ya is yet, right? Maybe—Oh! So THAT’S why the horses aren’t keen on ya!” The realization dawned on him as he instinctively placed his fist on his open palm.

Earlier on the previous year, he had assigned Kamui to the stables, but the moment she set foot inside, the horses went mad and almost destroyed every gate Kamui approached. It has been that way since she was younger: no horse would ever let her come close to it, especially from the front. Hence the reason she would take the long way around carriages in order to at least fool the horses’ eyes before it realized it was carrying something non-human.

She never managed to mount on a horse, even when her father was the one steering the beast.

“Y-yes, that must be because of it. I’m sorry about the stable once more.” She bowed for at least the tenth time because of that stable, which has been forgiven since the first time.

“Nah, ‘s okay already. But now that I know that ya can’t ride, your weapon regimen will get even more different.” He placed one hand over his chin, deep in thought. He was already looking into different kinds of styles for each of them; but now Kamui would need to get around that new obstacle as well. “But nuff of that; le’s go back to training ‘fore you change back.”

Overwhelmed with emotion – the first adult to see her like that and accept her! – Kamui only managed to nod before staggering behind her master, Silas’ hand tightly wrapped around her waist.

 

With the change of environment, the Lantanoir siblings got even busier than they were back at the Gallahard property. Eleonore made sure to keep a tight schedule containing dancing, speech and history classes as well as off days for their trainings so as not to overwhelm her children more than what they already were.

At the summer Kamui was fourteen, a question dawned on her Master as they sparred with practice swords. “But wait, does that mean that ya don’t go well with any kinda animal?”

The question was so sudden it made Kamui drop her guard, prompting the knight to land a blow which threw her on the ground. “Gakh! What brought that on, Master?” She got up, massaging her side as he twirled the sword and rested it on his shoulder.

“I was just remembering that day two years ‘go, is all. Old people stuff.”

Silas got up from where he was sitting – Kamui was training while he was resting from his own sparring session – and spoke up. “Yeah, it’s been that way since a long time ago, right?”

Wheezing from the exercise, Kamui nodded, resting both hands on the sword’s hilt as she placed its tip on the ground. “Yeah, I never managed to get close to squirrels in the forest like you did, Brother.”

Gallahard threw his head back in laughter. “So the cute critters liked you, eh, boy?”

Kamui giggled, untying her loose ponytail in order to fix it up. “They did, but I understand them. It’s not hard to like my brother.”

From behind her, Silas froze his movements – he was about to pass by her in order to challenge their master for another sparring session, but the heat on his face made him stop on his tracks. Gallahard couldn’t take it and laughed even more.

“Bahahah! I see, I see! It’s true, girlie, he really is a likeable boy, ain’t he?”

Finishing up her ponytail, Kamui picked up her sword once again and smirked. “Of course. He’s my brother, after all.” She glanced at him as he dried the sweat off of his face with his shirt’s hem, “let’s take him on together, Brother!”

Silas coughed in order to hide his embarrassment and nodded, waiting for her to look away from him to lower his shirt and take his sword.

“Oho! Getting’ ahead of yerselves, eh? Come on, then! If ya manage ta win, I’ll tell ya a little secret!”

Needless to say, their skill was no match to their master’s, but Gallahard kept encouraging them to gang up on him. The one time they managed to land a single blow was a year later at the end of the day.

“That’s… That’s good, kids. Real good.” He huffed, impressed by how quickly they learned. They might be ready for the Knight Admission Ceremony in way less time than expected – rather than five more years, perhaps only three more?

Panting, Kamui stuck the wooden sword on the ground, drying her sweat with her sleeve. “Do you still remember the secret you promised to tell us, Master?”

Silas couldn’t help but snort; Gallahard groaned, but also snickered.

“Makin’ fun of yer elders, eh, girlie? Watch out for tomorrow’s routine.” He sat on the ground to catch his breath and looked to the sky as dusk started to envelop them like a blanket. “I started teaching ya’ll the ways of the sword and all, but we never talked ‘bout the act of taking a life. From now on, the trainin’ll get even more severe to the point of ya both having to fight for yer lives. I don’t wanna train ya’ll only with practice swords an’ a hard ground under yer feet.”

Kamui mimicked her master and sat down with the stuck sword in the middle of her legs, placing her head on it. “Hah, ‘act of taking a life’? After the rivers and rivers of blood from the animals you made us shed?”

“I’m used to experiencing the near-death situation as well as the best way to wash the blood off of my clothes,” Silas continued her line of thought, “and I know one thing for sure.”

“Yeah, me too.” Kamui agreed after they exchanged glances and then looked at their master.

“Oh? And what do you two seasoned little soldiers know that I don’t?”

“I don’t want to take a life if I can help it.” They replied in unison, making Sir Gallahard blink in surprise.

“That day when I almost froze to death,” Kamui started, trailing her memory years into the past, “I was so filled with regret. I wanted to know what I was and why did my itches got sparse during the winter; why was I brought into the Lantanoir household… and I wanted so very much to repay the family that embraced me despite my unknown background. I was so young and had so many regrets, can you imagine how many more a grown man will have if he perishes by my hand?”

“When I almost drowned,” Silas didn’t let their master catch a breath and followed right after his sister had finished, “I cursed my own inability to keep up with the most basic of trainings – I wanted to be able to get stronger in order to help my sister, which I still do; but I also want more. The lady who owns that bakery at the village down the slope; the mill she uses to grind the flour always needs someone strong enough to push it when it gets stuck, or the granpa at the armory – he’s always getting burned because his eyesight is getting worse by the years. I’m strong enough now to help them and I know that I want to keep helping people; not needlessly taking their lives.”

“If I am to be a knight,” they spoke in unison once more, “I want to win this war peacefully.”

“So people can come and go as they please between kingdoms,” Kamui looked at the first star.

“So that the young and fit people can stay and help their parents and grandparents,” Silas crossed his legs and placed his wooden sword over his knees.

“I’ll use of my family’s influence to command my own troops on the path of peace.” Kamui finished, a sense of fulfillment filling her chest. She almost felt as though she was remembering something, but it passed as soon as Gallahard let out a choked laugh.

“Bahaha… haha!” He sniffled, then kept on laughing. “Ya’ll really are my best creations yet!” He laughed until his abdomen hurt and lied down with open arms, the sky being washed over by stars as the darkness settled in around them. “That was a great speech n’ all, but yer gonna end up killin’ more people than you’d like, ya know.”

They nodded solemnly, looking at the same stars as their master. “… Yes.”

“I still don’t think I have what it takes to take someone else’s life,” Silas remembered his friend on his deathbed, the face already long forgotten, “but if it means upholding my promise, I’ll do whatever it takes.”

Kamui disagreed slightly from her brother on that aspect. Without the memories of death to hold her back, she only had her own principles keeping her out of taking another’s life. “I’ll do anything I can to stand by my convictions, but if I falter… I beg of you, Master, please teach me how to be strong in that regard!”

Gallahard placed both hands under his head. “’f course, kid.” He suddenly sat up, his good eye as serious as it could get. “I was gonna wait to tell ya’ll this after you were ready for the Exam, but I’m gonna tell you now.”

Both squires turned to the knight, silently waiting for his revelation.

“Yer strong. And disciplined.” He turned to Silas, “yer technique and mounting is one of the greatest I’ve seen, boy, and I’ve still got much to teach ya! And ya,” he turned to Kamui, “ya have the fiery conviction of a fighter and the kindness of a mother. Yer too muscly to follow someone else’s swordsmanship, but ya got yer own style. Yer both different and strong on yer own ways and I already know what yer graduation ceremony’s gonna be.”

Kamui’s eyes flickered when she heard the ‘ceremony’ word. She knew that she could not do her own coming of age ceremony, even though she was only two years away of it. Sure, she was more comfortable in her own body because of the years of training, but her outward differences were still there for the world to see – and she knew her parents didn’t want it to.

“Every six months or so, one kinda competition is held between the strongest squires and knights and fighters and stuff. Anyone’s that’s strong can enter and fight. They even say that his Lordyfulness the Crown Prince Xander attends sometimes, but that’s just tale-sayin’.” He pointed at each of his apprentices. “I want ya two to enter it three years from now and I want ya both on the finals. I’ll be there watchin’ from the first seat an’ all. It doesn’t matter who wins, but I don’t wanna see any holdin’ back, ya hear? That’ll be yer graduation ceremony.”

Kamui and Silas both blinked. A competition to see who was stronger?

“And then, when ‘s all over and done with… I won’t have anything else to teach ya.” He concluded, already feeling his chest tight with longing. He really loved those two kids. Kamui’s chin trembled with emotion.

“You can count on me to mop the floor with my brother!” She said triumphantly, making Silas choke on his own breath, his mind wandering to the near future.

“I’m not gonna hold back, either!” He managed to retort in a lower voice than expected, thinking about his parents’ plan on telling Kamui the truth once she was of age.

Everything would change three years from now: it would only depend on Kamui to decide where her loyalty would lie.


	6. Taking the first step, at last

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone who participated in searching for the hidden easter egg I placed last chapter!
> 
> Chromgratulations, Gavin! He guessed it right when I stated that Kamui is weak to ice because she’s a dragon so he'll get a honorary mention this chapter.   
> I put another easter egg in here (just like on the oneshot), let's see if someone can find it too~

Eleonore went to visit that same evening and, after dinner, Kamui asked to talk. “Mother, I need to inform you of something, can we speak over tea?”

Silas looked over his sister’s shoulder to his mother, who reciprocated the urgent glance. Lady Lantanoir nodded and took her daughter by the arm. “Certainly, my dear. What would be the subject?”

Kamui looked visibly uncomfortable and glanced to the sides before pulling her mother out of the room. “It’s about my coming of age ceremony, Mother.”

The lady’s heart fell. Look at how her beloved child behaved at the mention of her own coming out ceremony! How it hurt a mother’s heart. “Ah, yes.” She managed to reply before being led to the tea room.

Once alone and with tea in hands, Kamui pressed her lips into a thin line; happiness and discomfort fighting a battle inside of her. She looked down to her own reflection at the tea’s surface and suddenly shot up her head. “Sir Gallahard has given us the details of our… ‘graduation ceremony’, so to say.” She bobbed her head at the term, not knowing which word to use. “He said it will take place three years from now.”

Eleonore couldn’t help but leave her mouth agape, her heart shrinking with worry. “So you will indeed follow the knighthood, my daughter?” She put away hers and Kamui’s cup before taking the young woman’s hands on her own. “And does that have any connection with your coming out ceremony?”

Kamui opened and closed her mouth two times before finally speaking. “I… know that we’ve avoided having public festivities in the past because of my… circumstances.” She glanced to the side, as though she could look at her own ears, “and it’s not my intent to bring any discomfort into demanding a party.” Eleonore opened her mouth to retort, but Kamui raised her voice slightly, “AND that’s why, Mother, that I want my coming of age ceremony to be the same as my graduation one. I will come out to society as knight, not as lady, that day three years from now.”

Lady Lantanoir deflated after she had taken in air during her daughter’s speech. She caressed Kamui’s face. “Oh, my dear, I fear that you are bearing a most inconvenient misunderstanding. It is indeed true that we have avoided letting you out into outsider’s eyes, but not for shame; perish the thought!” She placed a tuft of hair behind her daughter’s pointy ear and lingered on it, thinking it cute, as she always did. “It is, however, much too soon to disclose such information.”

They lingered into each other’s eyes for a while, Kamui feeling hers burn. It wasn’t because of her appearance? How her heart lightened with that information!

Eleonore’s shone with an idea. “Ah, that’ll do nicely.” She nodded to herself. “Kamui, how about this: The day Sir Gallahard gives you both your title of Knighthood; I shall tell you the reason of your being hidden from the world inside our lands. That way, you will be able to choose between your newly acquired position or a quiet, noble life with a spouse of our choosing.” She smiled and mumbled more to herself than to the girl, “and I was so looking forward to find a good partner for my little girl, too…”

“Hah!” Kamui let out a snort before covering her mouth with one hand and giggling. “It’s fine, Mother. You can choose a partner for me regardless of the path I choose. Though you’ll have to warn them of their marriage with a newly-knighted and that they’ll need to come to terms with this.”

“Ah, my dear! Are you certain?” She took one hand to her chest in emotion. “So I shall, then! But are these terms all right with you, darling?”

The girl nodded solemnly. “Of course, Mother. Thank you for taking care of me all this time despite such burden on your shoulders.” She lowered her head in acknowledgement, feeling a thousand times more grateful for her family, even though the secret they bore eluded her.

“I assure you, it was my pleasure, my child. And knowing the considerate and loving daughter I ended up having, I would do it all over again.”

“Oh, mother!” Kamui teared up, throwing herself into her mother’s arms. Eleonore kissed her forehead and reciprocated the hug.

The revelation of that night was as though Kamui had been fred by invisible chains. It wasn’t out of shame! She trained with more vigor than ever, especially after her Master’s instructions of how to properly wield the weapons that best suited her: the axe and the sword.

“Since ya can’t mount an’ really focus on brute strength, ya need to defend yerself on foot.” He had said as he handed her first practice weapon. It was an actual, functioning bronze axe. “Usually, to defeat mounted units, ya’d need a spear to counter theirs,” he pointed his thumb to Silas, right beside them with his bronze lance. “But with that axe and my trainin’, ya’ll just need to smash the horse’s knees on the opposite side of the mounter’s lance! Bahaha!” He guffawed, throwing his head back in laughter.

At the time, Kamui only gave an awkward smile as a response, the color leaving her face. Of all the animals their master had instructed them to kill and eat, horses were the worst because they were friendly to begin with.

With time, however, that reservation came to an end. They didn’t kill horses for fun, no, but Kamui came to realize her disadvantage by foot – literally one wrong step would cost her head in a battle full of mounted units. She wouldn’t be able to take píty of a horse in spite of her own life when the need came to be.

Technically, the axe had an advantage against the spear – if the former managed to corner the latter into a defensive position; and a disadvantage against the sword, since the blade was easier and faster to maneuver. They trained with a wide variety of weapons of all sizes and shapes in order to find the one that felt the better on Kamui’s hands.

Diligence and training made the young woman not only more comfortable in her own body but also helped her regulate her itches. They would mostly come around regardless of her wanting them or not, but she no longer felt the urge to destroy nor run amok; she could also suppress it for a few hours should it surface during the day or amongst too many people, albeit painfully. Her eyes would still shine and her hands would tremble, but she was succeeding.

Once she told that to her master, a mere month away from the battle at The Pit, he gave her the strongest back slap ever, making her stumble two steps before falling headfirst onto the ground.

“Tha’s my girlie!” He laughed, helping her up. “Show this beast who’s boss, girlie; I know fo’ sho’ ya can do it.”

Her emotion almost made her forget the itch and she could feel the horns poking on her forehead as she smiled. “I will! Thank you, Master.”

 

The approaching match made both squires intensify their training, despite Sir Gallahard saying that they should take it easy for the last thing they needed before the long-awaited day was an injury.

“As I said 'fore, the number o’ matches changes depending on how many people are there to play,” he said as though the battles that would decide their fates as knights were some kind of ball game, “but usually there’re five matches, the final included. Kid’s play, eh? Ya’ll just need to get to the finals an’ give yer best shot at impressin’ me. I’ll be at the front row an’ all, so I’ll hear if ye or ye,” he pointed at either pupil, “ask to go easy! I ain’t lettin’ you off if that happens!”

Silas and Kamui exchanged glances and laughed at the manner of their master, throwing their heads back. “As if I would miss a chance to wipe the floor with my brother, Master!” Kamui pointed at the silver-haired noble beside her as he did the same.

“Likewise! I won’t let you talk that way with your older brother anymore, Kamui!”

“Bahaha! Tha’s what I wanted to hear!” He wrapped one arm around each of their necks – Silas’ now almost as tall as himself – and guided them to the training grounds. “Now, no more trainin’ with real weapons until the day o’ the match! Yer gonna hafta get used to the weight of practice swords an’ lances cuz that’s all they’re gon give ya there. Ya know, Crown Prince’s orders an’ all.”

Both squires stumbled and chuckled with the act – now that they were old enough to drink, their master usually wrapped his arm around their necks when he wanted company to chug down booze – and nodded, their weapons on their belts.

“This match can’t come any sooner!” Kamui exclaimed as she patted her master’s back with vigor.

“Right you are, Sister.”

 

According to her calculations, her next itch should be one week before the match; which was convenient, since it would take place in the capitol – and it usually takes five days by carriage to reach the city. On the night preceding the itch, however, Kamui had an unsettling dream.

It felt more like a memory – of happenings that her body could remember, but her mind did not. She had been having these kinds of dreams more frequently as time passed. Once she woke up, they remained in the back of her mind, much like a feeling more than a memory – did she have four playmates as a child? Every time she woke up she felt the dream ebbing away from the fingertips, leaving only the impression of a past.

But that night was different; she had a most intense vision of fire, arrows, beatings and hiss of shurikens right past her ears. Of pain and warm blood dripping through the oldest scars she had on her body. Could that be the day she acquired them? How terrifying it was!

_She heard a voice under her; a rasped breathing holding her motionless body with all it had. “I’ll make it up to you, Lady Kamui! Please find it in your heart to forgive me!” The ear-piercing sound of a battle breaking all around them as well as the crepitation of a fire looming in closer muffled the boy’s voice as Kamui’s consciousness drifted off. “I will not let them take you!”_

_She opened her mouth to speak, a foreign name leaving her lips as she asked about her father. “Papa… is Papa okay?”_

_The little girl could not wait for the reply and passed out due to her wounds, her last thoughts of a man’s back beset by a volley of arrows._

“Papa!!” Kamui sat on the bed, breathing heavily, her eyes as wide as they could get, her hand reaching out for something in front of her. Still under the atmosphere of the dream, but already feeling it slipping away, she felt her hands shaking as she brought them to her face. “What… was that about? 'Papa’?” The word burned on her tongue, as though she wasn’t allowed to say it yet. “I’ve never called Father that way before…” She breathed heavily, her eyes trying to focus on the moon-lit bedsheets over her. “Are these dreams even for real? Or not…?”

She contemplated her trembling hands until her breathing stabilized, her head finally calming down despite her pounding heart. “What was I even dreaming about?” She pinched her own cheeks, “I never seem to fully grasp it after I wake up. Only those… unsettling feelings…” As her voice sounded, she turned her head to the side – to the mirror on the far corner of her room. “Ah, I see.”

Her eyes were shining on a bright red. So that was the reason for the unsettling feeling – at least this time. Resigned to letting out some steam before sunrise, she looked at the wooden clock placed beside her bed as she slipped out of it. It was the third hour after midnight, a mere one hour and a half earlier than what she was used waking up to.

“Mhm. Might as well go straight to the training grounds after smashing some trunks around the mountain.” She assured herself with a nod and went to the secret passageway behind her bed so as to change into her itch clothes. She had outgrown the sleeping gown she used as a child and started taking an extra pair of training gear with her whenever her previous ones got teared up by her little adventures in the woods. “And after tonight’s I hope to have two weeks of break so I can go to the capitol and come back without making a scene.” She whispered to herself, a bad habit she was mildly aware of but not completely conscious of its seriousness.

After she changed, she left a note by her bedside table telling Clara to inform Silas of her arriving early at practice the following morning and left through the hidden tunnels. She noticed that, especially during her itches, she could see better in the dark (and, unbeknownst to her, she could see better than most during the night; she just never had the chance to comment on that with anyone yet), so it’s been quite a while since she guided herself through touch alone and relied on her heightened vision instead.

 

Silas woke up with the mix of the night and the early morning air, minutes from sunrise. Today was the last day before they all set out to the capitol to take their long-awaited graduation ceremony at the Pit. Before he could even stretch himself, a set of knocks on his door made him allow the entrance.

Clara, their personal maid, had special ways of knocking onto the door depending on the situation – that time it was regarding Kamui. “My lord, Lady Kamui’s left this note addressed to yourself on her bedside.” _And had her night gown neatly folded as well_ , she thought as she handed Silas the paper.

Despite their master’s acceptance of Kamui’s itches as well as her own fragile control over them, Silas still felt insecure every time he knew that she was running amok in the woods without him to watch over her – the memory of the first time he saw it happening never left his mind and thinking about it might as well give him an ulcer.

Before his worry could bleed through his expression even more, he nodded and crumpled the note, handing it to the maid. “Thank you, Clara. I’ll head to the training grounds right now; could you prepare mine and Kamui’s set, please?”

“At once, my lord.” She acknowledged and left, putting the crumpled paper inside her apron’s pocket.

Silas contemplated the sky before sunrise a few moments, thinking of what would Kamui’s reaction be once she found out about her roots – would she do as their mother wanted and stay put? “Hah,” he scoffed, knowing his sister too well. “She’s capable of marching to Hoshido on her own just to find out the truth.” He shook his head, trying to shoo away the heart-wrenching topics – just the thought of losing Kamui hurt him to no end – and finally got up.

 

Their sparring session that day ended with another win for Kamui: Now their score was 22 for her and 21 for Silas; and it would remain that way until the fight at the arena. Would Silas even the score or would Kamui distance herself even more from him?

“Brother, you seem out of sorts. Is everything okay?” Kamui asked as she extended one hand to help him up. “I don’t want this win to count if you didn’t come to me with everything you had.”

The soon knight-to-be shook his head, accepting his sister’s hand and getting up. “I was just thinking of the past and how far you’ve gone with controlling your urges.”

She squeezed his hand and smirked, proud. “Right?! I even managed to write a note and fold my night gown and everything! I bet next time I can even hold a conversation without stuttering or trembling.”

He placed his free hand over their handhold, then flicked her forehead. “You’ll have to learn how to turn off your shining eyes, though.”

“Ouch!” Kamui let go of the hold and covered her front with both hands, pouting. “You’re right, but I’ll get you for this here! You’re on; let’s go one more round!”

Silas picked up his wooden sword from the ground and pointed with his chin to something behind Kamui. “No can do. Look who came to pick us up.”

With her hands still over her head, Kamui turned around to meet Sir Gallahard. “Master!”

“Up and dandy a’ready, eh?” He laughed, taking one practice lance from its corner. “Despite me sayin’ for ye to stay put, ye both had to go an’ practice, ey?” He spoke with a harsh tone, in which both pupils almost believed, were it not for his battle stance. “Now yer gonna hafta take me down if ya wants breakfast!”

A playful smile ran from Kamui to Silas as they exchanged looks and took their stances; their master already closing in the distance between them. Despite already being able to beat Sir Gallahard even by themselves, it took the duo quite a while until they managed to land a hit on the knight – he went all out especially that day since it would be the last time they faced each other as apprentice and teacher.

“I know I’ll go with ye an’ all, but I gotsa say this now: Yer my best works yet, kids. I know the likes of this Pit won’t even compare to yer full strength so I’m not worried ‘bout you losing.” He raised his index, “and DON’T YOU DARE lose, ya hear? I wanna see you both kicking each other asses for the entire kingdom to see, bahaha!”

Once again the siblings exchanged glances, but this time they smiled proudly and nodded to one another. “Thank you for these eight years of guidance, Master.” They said in unison, bowing. “We won’t let you down.”

 

The trip to the capitol was as quiet as it can be with Sir Gallahard and his famous laughter on board. They would stay in one of their Master’s acquaintance’s mansion instead of an inn, allowing them a more restful sleep on the night before the match.

Kamui thought she would be more nervous – not for the fight, no, but from being around so many new people at once. She wasn’t wearing her usual braids around the head, so her ears were as visible as they could be with her long, fluffy hair down.

“Maybe I’m more at peace with myself after what Mother said.” She pondered by the balcony, once again talking to herself. “And tomorrow I’ll even put my hair up in a ponytail,” she looked up to the somber, ugly sky; it wasn’t her first time at the capital, but it never ceased to amaze her at how thick and dark the clouds that shrouded the entire city were.

The soon knight-to-be took a deep breath, relishing on the somewhat polluted air of the city and coughing with a smile. “Alright, no more night air for me.” She grasped her beaststone brooch, always by her chest, and gave it a silent prayer. “May my fight with Brother be as eventful as my master wishes it.” Then, she whispered, “and may we get the Prince’s favour as well. The more authority we have, the less lives we’ll take once in command.”

 

The next morning, Sir Gallahard welcomed them with his usual laughter and banter. He became serious once they reached the door to the underground city, however.

“Yer gonna go inside a place unknown even to the King himself, lads an’ lasses.” He slammed his hands over his pupils’ shoulders. “Don’t take yer eyes offa me an’ don’t go lookin’ around. The Pit’s close to this door an’ now’s the last time we’ll talk. Once we reach there, Imma going to me seat an’ sleep ‘til the finals.” He lingered into either apprentice’s eyes. “Only the sound of yer amazin’ battle will wake me up, so don’t go lettin’ me down now!” He quickly hugged both nobles then smacked their backs before turning to the entrance to the underground city.

Both siblings exchanged glances and nods before silently following their master, their faces a concentrated frown.

As instructed, they didn’t look around, though the better term for that would be that they didn’t _feel_ like looking – they had a goal that day and it was to be focused on their fighting skills in order to finally obtain the title they’ve been devoting half of their life to. The inside of the underground arena was too eye-catching to avert one’s eyes of, however. They had to enter the hidden city through a guard’s tower, walk for a few blocks and enter a trapdoor leading further down in order to reach it.

The entrance was on the upper part of the elliptical first story of the three floored arena. The door they took was one of four: for the competitors. Another one was for the peasant public; the other was for the nobles.

The fourth entrance was hidden under a wall, only used by his Highness Prince Xander and his aides. Kamui couldn’t help but glance all around, taking it all in (especially the sultry and heavy air from being so deep into the ground topped with the poor ventilation). She followed her master closely, taking notes of the floors under them that were divided into [caveas](http://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FCavea&t=YmExNjJkZjQyNjM0YmYwODJhNzc5MWMzNmQ3YmI2ZmUwMTdmNTI0YSxMOWdnN1o2MA%3D%3D&b=t%3AD0mdi2jGXXO-LT9HcsButg&p=http%3A%2F%2Fyukiwrites.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F155328481447%2Fwhere-your-loyalty-lies-05&m=0) for the audience and, of course, of the round arena in the middle.

“Now I see why it’s called The Pit.” She murmured, stretching her neck to see the fighting grounds as her feet took her to the registering office. Sir Gallahard had already pre-registered them through mail, as required, thus leaving it to the apprentices to only sign their papers in order to receive the participation badge alongside the fighting uniforms.

The wooden weapons would be distributed at the changing rooms before each fight; it wasn’t required to use only one kind of weapon throughout the tournament, making the challenge even better for knowledgeable warriors.

According to their registration numbers, Silas and Kamui were placed on opposite sets of brackets, meaning that the only time they could face each other would be on the final. Before heading to their specified side of the arena (Silas would enter from the left side whereas Kamui would from the right), they exchanged looks and nodded at each other.

“May the best soldier win, Sister.” He said solemnly, giving his hand for a shake.

Kamui smirked and took it, squeezing it with all she had. “Can’t wait to wipe the floor with you!”

 

The tournament had three matches of either bracket scheduled for the morning, totalizing six matches before noon. The quarterfinals, semi and final would take place after a short afternoon break. Kamui’s first fight was against a seasoned mercenary.

Despite remembering that her master said he would be napping, Kamui couldn’t help but glance at his seat before the bell rang. Gallahard was wide awake; clapping and cheering like a proud parent.

“Haha!” The young woman laughed before taking the first move with her sword, catching her opponent off guard. “There’s no way I can lose with _that_ much cheering!”

Even though it wasn’t her first fight against a stranger (Sir Gallahard liked to bring mercenaries over to freshen things up), Kamui didn’t feel insecure for not being able to use the weapon she excelled in. Only different kinds of wooden swords and lances were allowed and, still, she felt invincible! Surely her Master’s cheering brought the best in her.

The morning matches came and went without any trouble, in spite of the participants of Bracket Right not being able to watch the fights from Bracket Left and vice-versa. The so-called afternoon break was just a small period of time necessary for the change of shift between the guards and attendants – only enough for a quick rest.

From the Royal entrance, two hooded figures made their way in, taking advantage of the bustling of clerks left and right.

The hooded man from behind sighed heavily. “My Lord, is this really necessary?” He complained. To think that he was so content that morning because his liege didn’t mention coming to watch the first matches. How he wished they’d stayed.

“Humph,” the man at the front snorted, walking at large steps towards the cavea connected to the special entrance they used. It was a secluded and out-of-place seat, making his arrival quite conspicuous.

Which was why he always took the hidden staircase towards the nobility cavea. It spiraled in the dark until it ended on a secluded door close to the attendants wing. Only he possessed the key.

The lord stopped in front of it and took a step to the side so his aide could be the one to open it. The second man lowered his hood and groaned, swiftly opening the lock. “I didn’t hear the answer, my lord. Surely because of this place’s terrible acoustics.” He said as he opened the way.

The still hooded man walked through the door, finding an open seat close to the back wall and pointing his chin towards it. “You did not hear because I did not reply to it, Richard. You are sounding more and more like Iago lately.”

Obediently, the aide went to check the seat’s surroundings before nodding to his liege, who concurred and thanked his retainer as he sat. Richard then loosened the knot of his cape around his neck and pulled his long, dark hair up, adjusting his side tail.

“Please, milord, never again compare me with that snake.” He huffed. No matter how many times they went there, he would never get used with the thickness of the air.

“That was indeed low of myself.” He said with sincerity, however it did not last until his next remark: “do find it in your heart to forgive me.” He placed one elbow over the seat’s armrest and settled his chin over his palm. Before Richard could scoff, he added: “And yes, we do need to be here, friend.”

Losing the timing to retort to his lord’s previous snarky remark, Richard deflated and sat on the ground beside his liege. “Yeah, whatever you say, Lord Xander.”

 

Kamui reinforced the bandages on her hands after winning the quarterfinal, feeling giddy inside. “Only one more match and I can face Brother.” She chuckled and asked to change weapons – the wooden sword she’d been using since morning was cracked and had barbs sticking out of it.

After testing two out, she chose the one that suited her best and once more walked out of the gates towards the round arena. The cheering of the audience thundered in her head, making her smirk grow. Again did she look around, not noticing the two new hooded figures on the cavea two floors above on the opposite side of the field.

“Hey, hey! We’re not allowed to kill here, but you’ll tell me how you got those cute ears, right?” A childlike voice brought Kamui back to reality and she focused on her next opponent: A twin-tailed young woman. Kamui raised a brow at her impossible hair color: It was a gradient mix going from blue to pink, and half of her face was covered by her bangs.

Kamui got in her fighting stance while observing the young woman before her. She used a wooden spear, making Kamui wonder how that fight would play out. “I was born with them.” She said curtly, discerning her master’s cheers from the crowd’s.

The bell rang.

The girl hopped on her feet, a wide smile on her face. “They’re soooo cute! You wouldn’t mind if Peri ripped them off, right? You’ll still be able to hear and won’t die, I swear!” She swung her spear abruptly, the smile never leaving her face.

Kamui jumped back and threw the sword to her left hand. She bended over, flexing her legs with the intent of jumping. Peri twirled her lance with both hands around herself, stepping towards Kamui, covering all sides in an astounding speed.

Before Kamui could react, Peri jumped and aimed the tip of the spear on her pointy ears; which she barely managed to dodge, jumping sideways. She felt a sting of pain as a small wound covered her cheek. “She’s good!” She whispered and smiled, wiping the blood off with the back of her hand.

“Awww, I missed! Stay still!” Peri wailed, then screamed, running towards Kamui once again, raising her spear to deal a blow from the left. Kamui jumped over Peri’s head, rotating midair to land while looking at her back. “Stay… Still!!” Peri yelled before turning back, but Kamui had already thrown her wooden sword in blue-haired woman’s direction, which she reflexively deflected with her spear. Peri’s head tilted in confusion. “Are you giving up? Why did you throw your weapon, silly?!” She laughed, running towards Kamui with the tip of her lance ready.

Kamui sneered and jumped, this time using the lance as a step before doing a somersault and landing behind Peri once again. The blue-haired woman lost her balance and tripped, falling headfirst; which prompted Kamui to swiftly take the lance and spin it in her hands.

“Oh no, I’m just getting started.” She laughed, kicking her wooden sword towards the woman whose rage was displayed on her reddening face.

“That… HURT!” Peri yelled, running to Kamui, getting the sword off of the floor while doing so. She closed in the distance between them and struck in a mad rage. Some of her attacks being deflected only made her strike at a greater speed.

Finally the exhaustion from fighting five almost-consecutive matches started to catch up to Kamui. She knew she had more stamina than the common man, and that every other participant at this point had already felt it, but she couldn’t help but admit: She had been looking down on her opponents ever since her first win.

Her tactics had consisted on playing with them by tiring them out and striking after they were fed up – much like how Peri behaved at that very moment. But Peri wasn’t like the others; she was strong, fearless and bloodthirsty. If Kamui didn’t finish the fight soon, she’d end up seriously hurt.

Taking advantage of an opening, the silver-haired woman spun her lance and pushed Peri to the wall, intending to deal the finishing blow. However, the battle-ready noble didn’t think twice in using the wall as a step to jump over Kamui’s head and strike on her side.

“Gakh!” Kamui gritted her teeth in pain, feeling something break in her ribcage; but managed to twirl her lance and throw the sword on the floor once again. Losing her weapon wasn’t enough to make Peri flinch and Kamui saw in her eyes that she would go down in a fist fight if needed.

Before she could, however, Kamui took a step back to get impulse and stuck the back of her lance on Peri’s diaphragm, making her instantly lose consciousness.

Her concentration had switched from the cheerings to the fight in such a deep level that Kamui was momentarily deaf, hearing only her own rasped breath and heartbeat. She instinctively took one hand to her side, checking the damage. The audience’s roar made her shoot up her head. “The Murder Doll lost!” Some yelled. “She defeated the Murder Doll!” Other screamed.

“THAAAA’S MY GIRLIE!” A voice stood out from the rest and the knight-to-be smiled and bowed to her master before leaving. She noticed that he cheered her on more to make her snap out of her trance than to congratulate her – she had let her guard down and now had to fight the final with a handicap.

She had forgotten, however, that all of the conditions for her knighthood had been met: She had made to the finals and, if she knew her brother as she did, he would also be there.

 

“Richard.” Xander’s voice sparked with amusement.

“Yes, my lord? Are we done?” He grumbled, side-eyeing his liege from his sitting position.

Under his hood, Xander pointed with his chin towards the winner as she excused herself into the gate to wait for the next fight. “Who is that girl?”

The dark-haired man sighed and followed his liege’s gaze to the field, finding only the defeated woman as she was being carried out by the medics. “The Murder Doll, milord? Her name is—”

“The winner, Richard.” The prince said in a matter-of-factly tone. “That ‘Kamui’ girl.” He shifted his position on the chair so Richard could hear him for the noise around them made it hard to have a conversation. The retainer’s face was bitter in displeasure, nevertheless. “That last attack broke at least one rib – nay, two; but she managed to make use of her upper body strength to not only knock her opponent’s sword away, but the woman herself as well. How will she fight the next battle, however? Healing between matches is forbidden.”

Unamused, Richard scanned the arena with his clear-blue eyes, the side tail he’d adjusted previously itching on his neck inside that godforsaken hot and humid place. “Have you made your choice, then?” He once again glanced at Xander, “it’s the first time you got interested on someone since we started coming to these.”

“Hm… Patience, my friend. She still has one final match to fight.”

 

At the changing room, Kamui ripped the undershirt she came with so as to wrap the cloth around her torso. It wasn’t recommended in the long term for treating broken ribs, but she only needed the pain relief for that one fight; it was forbidden to heal between matches after all.

It wasn’t long until a servant came to call her and alas, after both opposite gates opened, she saw her brother for the first time ever since parting earlier that day. The woman forgot the pain as she exchanged proud smiles and acknowledgement nods with her brother.

They were both wielding lances, as she knew he would since it was his specialty. The audience was eerily silent, mayhap because of the final’s significance. Even their master sat quietly with both arms crossed and a serious gaze – he was no longer the proud parent cheering on his pupils, he was now the teacher evaluating his students.

The bell rang, but they stood still, the audience in a nervous anticipation.

“Good luck to you, Brother!” Kamui’s voice reverberated through the arena as she raised her spear in defiance.

Silas responded with a side smile. “May the best soldier win, Sister.” He replied, taking a step towards his fellow squire.

From his seat, Xander narrowed his eyes at the interchange. “Did the Lantanoir household have a daughter I am not aware of, Richard?” He asked without taking his eyes off the siblings.

The black-haired man lazily looked at the arena, and then glanced at his liege under his hand whose arm was resting on his knee. “I couldn’t say, milord. I did hear about them having a lady of age inside their manor, but she never made a public appearance. Would you like me to look into it?” He asked without hiding his dissatisfaction.

“I would.” Xander replied at the same time Kamui risked a feint attack to Silas’ right, which he easily deflected with his lance. Their weapons were close enough for their tips to touch, now. “You are displeased, friend, and I will not condemn you for being so.” The prince spoke without taking his eyes off the fight, “yet it is necessary for us to do this in order to choose your partner. You have—”

“Been serving you on my own for too long, yes. Whatever you say, my lord. I will comply with your wish regardless of liking it or not.” He replied bitterly, then risked glancing at Xander before asking: “You’ve set your eyes on the girl or will you chose the better one of the two? They _are_ both from a renowned knightly family, albeit a inactive one.”

“Hm… Indeed they are.” Xander watched as Silas took the upper hand by thrusting constantly, giving Kamui the trouble of deflecting and dodging as she circled the arena, avoiding the wall. “Yet, have you seen how she fights?” He raised his chin to the pointy-eared woman, who had deflected yet another thrust, but now spun around her brother to stand behind him.

Richard narrowed his eyes at Kamui. “By deceiving and back-stabbing? She jumps around as though she doesn’t know where to strike.” He pursed his lips. Xander chuckled.

“Swift, Richard! Look at the control she has over her weapon and body – she knows her technique isn’t the best, but her stamina! She outmaneuvers her opponents and deals strong blows – stronger than she looks able to.” Xander moved in his seat, enthralled of how she almost danced while she fought. “And behold,” he extended his hand to the blow Kamui took to her broken rib, “she stands her ground even under her serious wounds–”

“Habit of which should be trained and erased completely, if I might be blunt, my lord. A soldier in less than top shape cannot fight a war pretending to be so.”

“Ah, yes, Richard. But do you see? Under conditions of extreme need, she would stand her ground and fight beside her liege or cause, regardless of wounds or who she would be fighting against.”

Before the royal retainer could retort, the audience gasped as Kamui took the upper hand and managed to twirl around her brother, dealing countless blows around his body.

“What’s wrong, Brother? Not pulling any punches on me, I hope?” She taunted, smiling. A smear of blood left the corner of her mouth, certainly from her rib wound worsening inside of her.

“Youthful arrogance.” Richard shook his head as Xander’s smirk widened.

“I expect that report on her later this evening, Richard. I will busy myself with writing an invitation for the Lantanoir regarding their attendance to the next royal ball.”

Richard sighed, resigned on obeying and already planning on how to come up with a training regimen for that girl. “Yes, my lord.”

Despite momentarily getting the upper hand, Kamui knew that she was on her last spur of stamina. Silas had trained to exhaustion to match his sister’s energy, and he could say proudly that he accomplished his goal – however, he, too, was nearing fatigue; oblivious to her wounds.

He made use of an opening and rolled under Kamui’s extended spear towards her body and repeatedly struck her torso while holding his own lance horizontally.

“Gak- Hah!” Kamui steeled herself, pulled her weapon and used the momentum to strike it right on Silas’s face—or so she thought. He managed to avoid it by dodging sideways and reached her back. _Oh no, I messed up!_ Kamui thought as their eyes met before he dealt the last blow on her broken ribs.

Gallahard almost broke the armrest of his seat as he watched that – he, too, had noticed Kamui’s wounds and could only narrow his eyes in sympathy as she fell on her knees, holding her side.

Panting, she threw her lance away and lifted one arm, signaling her loss.

The spectators blared and threw all sorts of items towards the arena, as custom: from confetti to vulneraries to even candy. Silas extended his hand to his sister, both still out of breath.

“That was a great match, Sister. We’re even again.” He winked as she coughed and wiped some blood out of her mouth. He bended over to look closely. “Did I break something? Good thing they’re throwing all of these vulneraries.” He looked around in search of a nearby one, but a hand on his shoulder made him stop.

“This season’s winner, ladies and gentlemen!” Gavin, the announcer, had ran from his seat at the second floor until the middle of the arena in record time, his voice being amplified by wind magic so the entire Pit could hear it. “We hope that this wasn’t enough to break your family apart, eh, lad?” He laughed, elbowing the silver-haired man.

“Ahahah…” Silas laughed awkwardly, scratching his cheek. Meanwhile, the medics had come for Kamui from the other door. He turned to her but before he could say something, she smirked and pointed to the audience.

Sir Gallahard was screaming and cheering and waving. “THOSE’RE MY PUPILS RIGHT THERE! NEWLY KNIGHTED AN’ ALL!”

Both siblings snorted. “I’ll see you at the back, newly knighted!” Kamui said and left through the medic door to receive healing magic. 

“Yeah, you too, newly knighted!” He whispered, almost ignoring the excited announcer beside him, who was congratulating not only the champion but all participants for another amazing tournament.

Gavin took Silas’ hand and lifted it overhead. “One more cheer for our newest champion!” He exclaimed and the audience – Gallahard included – complied. Then, he turned to the no longer squire. “You may withdraw the prize money from the reception desk where you registered. Congratulations again, Champion!” He patted Silas’ back and guided him to the exit. “Thank you everyone attending and don’t be strangers!” He bowed, officially closing another successful tournament at the Pit.


	7. Choosing her own path

Kamui had received the first aid necessary for her ribs as well as a good dose of healing magic. If she took good care of it, she would heal in time to get home for their official Knighting ceremony.

Her injury didn’t stop Gallhard from bear-hugging both of his pupils once they met again at the reception desk. “I KNEW YOU COULD DO IT, LAD AND LASS!” He twirled them around and only stopped when Kamui protested under laughs.

“Ahaha-ouch, M-master!” She giggled, feeling her insides turning into mush by his strong grip.

“Whops, yer ribs.” He put both down and aggressively patted their backs, “yer injured but not dead, eh? WE PARTAY TONIGHT!”

Silas smiled proudly, the corners of his mouth hurting. “And it’ll be on me!” He lifted the gold bag he’d gotten as a prize for winning.

“Bahaha!” Gallahard threw his head back in laughter. “My secret plan worked!” He joked before turning to the exit. “Le’s go, le’s go! I know a place with the tastiest mead ‘round here in the underground.”

Despite her injury, Kamui accompanied her master in chugging down one or two mugs while her brother let out worried noises every time she took a sip. “You can’t drink while hurt, Kamui! Your wounds will take longer to heal.”

“And how does it feel to be the one paying for that?” She giggled (if she let out anything louder than a chuckle, her insides would hurt) and poked at his ribs, where he was very ticklish. “It’s okay, Brother, I won’t overdo it. Tonight we celebrate! You should be happier for winning, Mr. Champion!” She teased, poking him even more.

“H-hey, cut it out! I’m being serious here—” He tried to scold, but ended up snorting because of the tickles and couldn’t hold a laugh in. The night was just starting and they had much to talk about now that they had their master’s approval.

Between mugs, Gallahard hiccupped how he had planned their knighting ceremony and how he had already sent pre-invitations to his chevalier acquaintances from his time at the army. All of them would bear witness of Gallahard’s approval of his squires and would serve as patrons to the newly knighted duo.

Seeing that the Lantanoir family was one of knights, the [accolade](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accolade) ceremony at the royal castle wasn’t a requirement – and, in times of war, it was a cumbersome formality. Since a few years back, there were only two times a knight was to be brought before the king: If they performed an act of extreme bravery on the battlefield so they would be deemed a hero of war or; if His Majesty the King were to appoint a new retainer for himself or the royal siblings.

Immediately after the public ceremony to a collective of veteran knights, a written pledge would be sent to the castle anticipating the newly knighted’s arrival. Only then they would receive their orders, ranks, badges, uniforms and lodging depending on how many seasoned knights vouched for their skills.

And Sir Gallahard knew his fellow warriors well. He served under the King himself during his days, making his vouch a tremendous weight by itself.

They would return in seven days – their master needed to confirm the presence of the acquaintances that lived nearby before taking the five-day trip back home. He would also send a letter preceding their arrival so the Lantanoir household could start the preparations for the festivities.

“I can’t wait to see Father’s reaction to our knighthood.” Silas scratched the side of his mug after a few hours of drinking, already feeling sleepy and rather drunk.

“Wanna bet that he’ll cry?” Gallahard snorted. “He was a hardworking young lad when I ‘as training ‘im. He got really frustrated when his leg didn’t heal well.”

Kamui kept turning her mug around, finding it amusing. “We gotta do well on the ceremony. To make him proud.”

“Mhm.” Silas agreed, slouching on his seat beside Kamui’s, exhaustion weighting his eyelids.

Their master snorted. “Ya’ll boring drunks, lemme tell ya.” He had drunk at least five times more than both siblings but apart from his rosy cheeks, he was mostly sober and always ready for more mead. “Le’s head back ‘fore I hafta carry you both on me shoulders. The first night as a knight! Fancy pun, eh? Bahahah!” He threw his head back, surprising the half-asleep Silas into waking up.

 

The extra week they had to stay was a great help in Kamui’s recovery as well as a blow into her curious nature. She wanted to explore the capital and, most of all, its libraries. She was at the center of knowledge of the entire Nohr and had to house sit due to being over-confident.

“And even if I were to look into the books regarding mythical creatures, most of them aren’t for take out.” Silas informed her one evening after taking a tour at the Records Hall, the largest athenaeum second only to the Royal Castle. He took his pouty sister’s hand on his, “we’ll have all the time of the world to read them once we’re stationed at the castle, right? Cheer up.”

She pouted more, though remembering about their knighthood made a smirk grow on one side of her mouth. Kamui might’ve be more used to her own body, yes, but that still did not explain what she exactly was nor what to do to completely control it. However, what Silas spoke was true, or at least half-true. “All right, I’ll stay put and I promise not to worry about that anymore… for now.” She huffed, squeezing his hand. “Though we won’t have all the time of the world, Brother. We’ll be working.”

“Ahaha, that’s true!” He chuckled, getting up from his crouching position by Kamui’s chair and sitting on the one opposite of hers, waiting for the tea that was being brought in. “But as long as we’re here, we can absorb the information anytime.”

“Alright, Brother, you’ve convinced me. Let’s hope time passes by fast so we can quickly come back and finally start our lives as knights.”

Their Knighting Ceremony was scheduled to happen a month after the battle at the Pit, so they actually could stay a bit longer, but even though the Lantanoir siblings would love to bask in knowledge, they wanted to present themselves as knights before their parents as soon as possible. Thus they went home after Sir Gallahard was done with his visits.

“We coulda stayed more, girlie. Yer not completely healed from those ribs yet.” He said on their first day of travel, inside the carriage. Beside him, his youngest pupil scoffed.

“Psh, Master. You broke way more bones than just these and I recovered from them just as quickly, right? I think they’re thicker than they should by now.”

Silas and Gallahard both laughed, albeit in different volumes. “With THAT, I can’t argue!” The master said, still laughing. The trip back was filled with these much-needed light-hearted moments. Kamui and Silas both would need the memory of those days for the news waiting for them at home would be sure to change their lives once and for all.

 

Both youths started to fidget on their seats once the carriage entered the Lantanoir property. They talked about how they would present themselves for their parents and how they needed to rehearse for the ceremony, all under Sir Gallahard’s proud laughs.

“I bet if ye salute even before talking wid them, yer pop’s gonna crack! Bahaha!”

Kamui’s eyes glittered with the prospect of making her beloved family proud and the short minutes it took the carriage to reach the mansion’s front gates were filled with the siblings’ plans for entrances.

Eleonore and Leopold, alongside the butler Winston and the handmaid Clara were expecting the carriage outside of the open gate; Lord and Lady’s faces plastered with proud and eager smiles.

Before the coachman had a chance to reach the carriage’s door, it was kicked open by a grinning Gallahard. “Miss me?! Bahaha!” He guffawed, jumping out without using the steps. Lady Lantanoir’s shoulders sagged visibly while Leopold snorted.

“Welcome back, friend. I hear our children did well on the tournament.” Lord Lantanoir said, doing a half bow in acknowledgement to his former master.

“If they did well?!” He asked, curving his body forward before throwing his head back in laughter. “They did GREAT!” After saying that, he pointed to the still open door at the exact time Kamui followed by Silas jumped out in their training uniforms and immediately saluted.

“Sir Silas, reporting in!” The young noble said, his face a bit flushed with embarrassment. Beside him, his sister’s smile shone with pride.

“[Dame ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dame)Kamui reporting in!” The corners of her mouth almost hurt due to the size of her grin as both of them puffed their chests. 

Leopold had to press his lips into a thin line in order to suppress his emotion; his eyes as watery as they could get. The pride in his heart! Look at how those two young and inseparable children grew into!

Eleonore’s reaction was a bit more conflicted, albeit still overjoyed in the end; she had the issue about Kamui’s actual roots, her motivations and, of course, the letter they had gotten a few days before Gallahard’s. It was sealed with the Royal Stamp.

Nevertheless, she still brought one hand to cover her mouth in emotion, her eyes shining with tears. How proud they were of their newly acquired title! She felt her heart bubbling with emotion as she opened both arms to embrace her children.

“Welcome home, my darlings.” She managed to say despite the lump in her throat, walking towards both newly knighted youths.

“We’re home, M-mother.” Kamui stuttered as Eleonore’s warmth embraced her, snuggling her face into the Lady’s shoulder. Silas did the same, though he wasn’t able to speak due to the emotion.

After their welcoming at the gates, the finally-reunited family went to a tea room in order to report all of the happenings at The Pit as well as to ensure both Lord and Lady about Kamui’s recovery. “Ah, it will always pain me to hear about any wounds you suffer, my children.” Eleonore held Kamui’s hand while looking at Silas, her mind glaring at Sir Gallahard. “To watch my young children being hurt and not being able to aid them...” She murmured, squeezing the young woman’s hand.

“Forgive me for worrying you, Mother. I was careless.” Kamui apologized, lowering her gaze to their hand hold. “I cannot promise it will not happen again, though.” She suppressed a laugh, excited about her new life as a knight.

“Posh, this is not a joke, my dear.” Eleonore reprimanded, but the frown on her brow was fainter. “Regarding that, Kamui; Silas.” She looked from one child to the other before exchanging glances with Winston, who was obediently on stand by close to the door. “Winston, if you please.”

“At once, milady.” The butler swiftly took a letter out of his vest with one hand, a letter opener sliding through his left cuff at the same time. With five graceful steps he was beside her with the already open envelope -- it had the Royal Stamp over the sealing wax.

“We received this letter with the Crown Prince’s seal three days before we’ve heard the news about your triumph at The Pit.” Eleonore handed the paper to Kamui as Silas reached for the envelope -- it was addressed to ‘Sir Silas Lantanoir & Dame Kamui Lantanoir’. “It has made us extremely anxious since it had both of your names and titles despite the lack of news from your part.” She added as Kamui skimmed through it.

“Strange,” Sir Gallahard crossed his arms, glancing at the paper from behind his apprentice. “I know I sent the news on the followin’ day so it shoulda arrived four or five days later, as usual.” Something caught his attention on the letter and he stretched his neck towards it, stealing it altogether from Kamui’s hands. “Wait a minute.” He got up and quickly reread the entire letter, frowning at the end. “HEY CLAUDE, YA THERE?” He yelled to the door’s direction, surprising everyone in the room.

“What was the paper about, Kamui?” Silas nudged his sister and whispered close to her while an unamused butler entered the room. The young woman had stayed silent the whole time, as though in shock.

“An invitation... to the next royal ball.” The words outpaced her actions as her unfocused eyes slowly met her brother’s. “The Crown Prince took notice of us at The Pit,” her expression started to brighten, “and invited us to the next royal ball!” She almost screamed, happy for actually being able to catch the Prince’s attention as she had planned.

Eleonore visibly gasped as Leopold gripped at the chair’s armrest. Haven’t they forgotten about the hunt they were making all those years ago?!  
  
Before either noble could interject, Gallahard handed the letter to Claude. “Hey, ‘member that one invitation I got some twenty or was it thirty ‘ears ago? Darlin’ was still ‘live and kickin’ an’ all.”  
  
Without even flinching, the butler nodded with his characteristic smile, as though they were speaking of a recent event. “Indeed I do, Sir.”  
  
 _How old is he?!_ Immediately ran through all four nobles’ heads as they widened their eyes to the young-looking butler. He hasn’t aged a day ever since Kamui and Silas met him.  
  
“Right. Write it up for me, will ya? Same calligraphy an’ all.”   
  
The Lantanoirs turned their flabbergasted faces to the knight before Claude’s response made them all turn to him. “At once, milord.”  
  
Eleonore took one hand to her mouth so as not to gap it, while Leopold and the young adults had theirs wide open. With a swift movement of his hand, Claude made it seem as though a paper appeared out of thin air alongside an inkpot. He soundlessly reached out for Winston who promptly gave him a feather.  
  
Both butlers had been used to working together as the head of the staff of the neighboring mansions and almost never needed words to communicate.  
  
Claude set off to a desk in order to write as Gallahard turned to the stunned nobles, as matter-of-factly as possible. “This ain’t no simple invitation to a ball, see.” He started, not noticing or not caring about their surprised looks, hitting the paper with two fingers. “You musta noticed, offa course, that the usual invitations take the Lord and Lady’s names on the envelope, contrary ta this ‘un.”  
  
They all turned to the Master, listening closely as he went on: “If the Lord’s from a fam’ payin’ the shield money like yourselves,” he pointed to Leopold and his two apprentices, “they’ll put an honorary title or soma that jazz, too. But here,” his smirk grew with a clear idea of the Prince’s intention in mind, “here they specified not only the girlie an’ the boy’s names, but their status, even though they weren’t out in the chevalier ranks yet. It’s like the Prince’s demanding them to be properly knighted by the time o’ the ball.”  
  
“Lord Xander wants them to present themselves as knights before him?” Eleonore almost stuttered, her heart beating wildly inside her chest. Gallahard pointed to the lady and nodded.  
  
“Yah. An’ tha’s not all.” He reached out for something behind him, as though he had it timed: Claude handed the copy of the letter at the exact time his liege moved. “If ye check here,” the knight placed the copy and the original side by side, “ye’ll see that some lines ar’ different around her’ and her’,” he pointed with his chin to the lines, Claude gracefully using a presentation baton to pinpoint the location. “And that’s the prince’s signature on yours, but tha’s not the most interesting part.”  
  
He let the suspense sink in all the while Claude returned to his resting position to make them look again at the calligraphy. “The best part is tha’ usually it’s the Master of Ceremonies, some Abbington fella or somethin’, that writes the letters. Tha’s his writin’ here tha’ Claude’s mimicked. See tha the one you guys got’s a lot different?” He looked at both apprentice’s eyes before turning back to the paper. “This here was either written by the prince himself or by his stuck-up retainer,” he looked up, trying to remember the name, “some Rich-somethin’.” 

“It is not unusual to have the Prince’s or even the King’s signature on an invitation.” Winston commented from behind Claude, who concurred.

“Yah.” Gallahard nodded, “’s why the best part is that he ordered it all special for the girlie an’ the boy AN’ signed it.” He handed one letter to each apprentice and crossed his arms, a proud smile on his lips. “This all can only mean one thing: He wants to put ye both under his command, and his IMMEDIATE command at that. Prolly a retainer or somethin’.” The Master placed one hand over his chin, in thought, “if I ‘member correctly, stuck-up’s partner kicked it some one or two ‘ears ‘go.”

Kamui momentarily forgot her original plan of finishing wars in order to find out what she was due to Sir Gallahard’s speech. Serving under the _Prince himself_!

Suddenly, the Master threw his head back in laughter. “Bahaha! Now le’s just hope that this Princeling’s better than ‘is dad, eh? So he won’t pit you two ‘gainst each other to have the survivor serve ‘im and all that.”

He truly meant it as a joke. However, having Kamui’s past and secret roots ever present in the back of their minds made both Lord and Lady Lantanoir flinch with the idea. King Garon was indeed capable of doing such a thing, even though they knew that Crown Prince Xander wasn’t.

Or was he? Was he aware of the hunt the nohrian army started right after the Battle at Cheve? He was their commander now, there was simply no way he didn’t know. What were his motives in calling both Kamui and Silas instead of just one?

Eleonore’s heart and face fell somber with these dark thoughts and Leopold turned to Winston, his frown deep and serious. “Winston, could you fetch that, please?” He asked, then hurriedly looked at the knight and his butler.

“At once, milord,” Winston complied, bowing. “Sir Gallahard and Lord Claude, if you please,” he moved one hand towards the door, “allow me to escort you to the wine cellar in order to choose a good drink for tonight’s toast.”

“Muh? Seein’ me out already?” He raised a brow, confused at the change of the atmosphere around the room -- father, mother and brother were pale-in-the-faces while daughter carefully read the letter again. He shrugged. “’kay, but don’t ya go refusing a royal invitation like that, eh? Capital crime and all.” He said before leaving, adding more worry to the family’s heart.

“Kamui, my daughter,” Eleonore touched the young woman’s hand, diverting her attention from the letter.

“Is something wrong, Mother?” After averting her gaze from the words, she met Eleonore’s worried frown and felt her heart fall. “You look pale!”

“My dear, do you remember what I told you three years ago? About the truth of your adoption.”

She had forgotten. How could she?! Even if she had been focusing only on The Pit for the last year it still didn’t meant that she could have forgotten her mother’s words from that day. How good they made her feel! And now... Eleonore’s somber gaze brought uneasiness to Kamui’s heart.

The young noble adjusted herself on the chair and put the letter over the table before squeezing her mother’s hand. “Forgive me for my earlier outburst, Mother. I am ready.”

“I know not of easy ways to say this,” Leopold started, making Kamui shift  her attention from the Lady to the Lord, “so we chose to speak of the happenings you remember first: You recall the day we made you travel inside the hidden compartment?”

“I do, Father. I was told to stay close to Mother the whole time after we left the carriage, then I had to look at a very scary man after we came back home.”

Leopold’s lips twitched in pain, remembering not only that day but everything Lord Ixyan’s made them go through before that. “Yes, my child,” he nodded, then proceeded. “Let us go further back. Do you remember the day you first woke up here?”

That was a trick question. Kamui had woken up a number of times before completely sealing away the memories of the Battle of Cheve. She replied with the same tune as before, closing her eyes so as to make a mental picture of the day: “Yes. I woke up startled by something and saw how surprised Brother was before he grasped my hand again.”

Lord and Lady exchanged quick glances. “And before that...?” He asked, but received a slight shake of head as response.

“It is a blank; forgive me.”

“Do not apologize, my dear.” Eleonore rubbed her thumb over Kamui’s hand. “You do, however, remember your history classes, correct?” She asked and received a nod in response. “The Battle of Cheve -- could you tell me about it?”

“Hmm...” She raised her eyes to search her memory, “His Majesty Garon set out a trap for Hoshido’s King, Sumeragi, and decimated the hoshidan envoy in battle at Cheve.”

A double, careful knock at the door interrupted before Kamui could open her mouth again. “Milord, milady, I have returned.” It was Winston. Leopold authorized his entry while Eleonore turned to Kamui.

“The story we’ve always spread about your past was that you were orphaned at that battle, you are aware of that.” The Lady affirmed, receiving yet another nod of agreement. “What you are not aware of, however, is the side of the battle you were on.”

Realization sank in before Kamui could shift her gaze to the small box Winston brought with him and started opening as his lady spoke -- it contained a golden and seemingly expensive hoshidan hairpin.

“I’m... hoshidan?” She widened her eyes at the pin, looking from it to her parents.

“We do not know whose child you were or if there were more children with the envoy apart from you and a servant boy -- the one who brought you to our lands.”

Eleonore’s words hit Kamui with a pang of pain in her head, making her flinch. “Gkh!” A boy who came with her? She was with the hoshidans? Why... why that all sound so distant yet so familiar? That hairpin... she remembered a warm hand putting it on her head...

“Kamui!” From beside her, Silas touched her shoulder, his face the most pale out of the nobles in the room. The young woman’s ears were deaf to any outside sounds.

 _“-is it rea- wise to bring- along?”_ Voices from a distant past tried to make their way into her head, flooding it with incomplete memories.  _“Besides, he s-ld be brin-as well--’ll -Hoshido and Nohr -amui.”_

“Who... are they?” She brought one hand to her face, the other clutching her heart.

“Did you remember him?” Silas’ mouth spoke before his mind could accompany, “did you remember the green-haired boy?”

“Green...?” Kamui repeated the word, using it more as a chant to bring her memories rather than remembering it per se. “Green... K-Kaz...? Akh!” Her head hurt again and, with the pain, a waterfall of memories.

Four playmates. Two red-haired girls and two long-haired boys. A warm yet sad embrace -- the letting go of hand whose warmth still lingered on her until they left. A warning before a shout. The smell of burning flesh alongside the grazing and piercing of arrows.

A voice pleading forgiveness.

“Kaze!!” Kamui shot up altogether, almost knocking down the chair she sat previously. “What happened to him?! Kaze, oh no; he was so hurt!”

“We did all we could to save him,” Winston said with grief; it was his staff which worked on the boy at first, “but his wounds were too grave...”

Before the butler could finish the sentence, Kamui’s eyes welled up with tears, her hand unconsciously grasping Silas’ poofy sleeve. “He did so much for me...” she huffed, feeling the strength of her legs fail as she sat back on her chair, the hand now gripping at her brother’s shirt. “I remember a volley of arrows and a man... and Kaze taking the hit for me. Then pain,” she reached for the scar at her forehead, thinking of the ones on her back, “then apologies.”

Kamui’s lips trembled, not able to finish the sentence before she threw herself on Silas’ chest -- the one who has always welcomed her tears -- so she could finally grieve her servant and friend’s death.

“Kaze...! Oh, Kaze!” She cried, sniffling as she remembered his voice always making sure that she was awake and well. _‘It’s going to be okay, Lady Kamui. Even if I have to give this life of mine, I will take you to safety!’_ He’d said while her consciousness drifted in and out during the night.

He was so much more hurt than her -- he carried her small and certainly heavy body for hours in an unknown terrain and land; to collapse only when he knew he’d found someone who could take care of her.

Silas hugged his sister, remembering the day he made his promise, tears also falling from his eyes. Finally he could let his friend rest in peace. Finally he knew his name! “He made me promise, Kamui.” He whispered amidst her sobs. “He made me promise I would protect you in his place and now you can f-finally... finally pay your respects to him.” His voice cracked.

“Brother...” Kamui lifted her head to meet his eyes, then pressed her lips into a thin line so as to muffle a sob. “Oh, Kaze...!”

Eleonore sniffled with the display, using a handkerchief to dry her tears before they fell. Beside her, Leopold’s mien was grave. “I’m afraid that is not all, my child.” It broke his heart to add more grief into the scene, but Kamui needed to hear the truth.

“Pold, maybe we should wait--” Eleonore touched her husband’s shoulder, but Kamui raised her eyes to the married couple and sniffled before drying her cheeks with the back of her hand.

“Mother... please. I-I need to know everything.” She gulped, tears unshed on her eyes and hands by her brother’s chest. They trembled as much as her speech and she needed a few seconds to blink so she could set her unwavering gaze again on Eleonore.

The Lady frowned, but resigned herself into respecting her daughter’s wish. “Very well,” she glanced at Leopold before nodding.

He took a deep breath. “Right after we found you both in our lands, we discovered that the nohrian army was hunting down any hoshidan survivors. If it weren’t for Silas making Clara carry you to his room, they would have found you in the room they found the boy... He was already gone when Lord Ixyan’s soldier, Hans...”

The significant pause made Kamui understand. And Loathe. “Go on, Father.” She encouraged, her tears dry.

Leopold cleared his throat and loosened his cravat. “After that, the hunt continued for weeks and months.”

“It’s made us fear to ever making you show yourself in public lest they recognized you by your unique features, my dear.” Eleonore finished the sentence, her lips trembling. “Oh, just the thought of letting you out in society one night only to wake up to the nohrian army demanding your head on the next day!” She sobbed, hiding her face under the handkerchief. “I simply could not bear it.”

Surprise. Regret. Disgust... and now love. In the span of a few minutes, Kamui’s heart has been through so much. Once again her eyes welled up, one hand finally leaving Silas’ shirt and covering her mouth in emotion. They couldn’t be her birth family, but they loved her just as much.

Look at what they’ve gone through just to protect her! They almost entirely disconnected from their family, friends and court altogether just so she wouldn’t be in danger. They made her train under their wings so she wouldn’t be recognized in Gallahard’s main mansion.

They treated her as a daughter from the moment they decided to take her in. She felt terribly bad for misunderstanding their love for distrust during the early years of her life; but most of all, she felt thankful. “Mother... Father...” She sobbed. “Thank you so much for taking care of me for so long...”

Leopold felt his eyes itch with tears and had to cough a smile before taking his wife’s hand. “Know that we would do it a thousand times over, child.”

“We mustn’t be happy yet,” Eleonore choked a sob before finally raising her tear-stained face from the handkerchief. “Now that you know the truth, my dear, we can express our concern: You are going right into Nohr’s heart; where the first order to hunt down the hoshidan survivors came from.”

Lord Lantanoir nodded, sniffling away the tears which previously sprang in his eyes. “If they were looking for you specifically, your outward appearance will be a giveaway from the moment you step into the castle.” 

“And if it is not,” Eleonore continued from where her husband stopped, “you will still be fighting for the King who ordered your fellow countrymen dead.”

Kamui furrowed her brow, her eyes focusing nowhere in particular, her mind a clutter of information. Hoshidan. Kaze. Training. War. Hunt. Her beast. The Prince’s call.

“I... need to be alone for a while.” She said after a few minutes of silence. Silas hesitated in taking his arms away from her, but respected her decision. The knight-to-be got on her feet and silently exited the room after Winston opened the door to her.

She headed to the place she had her first thoughts of choosing knighthood: Outside the servant’s home, at the forest’s entrance. Perhaps being at a place so important as that could help clear the fog in her mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was supposed to be longer, but it would exceed 10k words so I don't know if you guys would enjoy a chapter that big so I ended up cutting it. Do you guys mind if I write chapters over 10k words? I get aprehensive because it's a LOT, but I feel that it's necessary sometimes. let me know what you think!


	8. Her own agenda

The night sky was cloudy, as though resonating with her inner turmoil.

Sitting on the grass, soon she found herself overwhelmed by the depth of her choices. At first, Kamui had chosen to be a knight just so the training could tire her enough in order to keep her inner beast at bay. Then, after learning more about war, the then-squire realized that she could hone her skills to not kill but incapacitate her enemies so as to end the war without bloodshed.

So she could finally have all the means necessary to find out what she really was.

And now... Where should she place herself into? Even though she still had the mindset of not killing if it could be helped, she knew she would still need to kill. Could she do it, knowing that the battle might be against someone from her past?

“Da’s a depressin’ face yer makin’.”

Surprised, Kamui looked over her shoulder to see her Sir Gallahard towering behind her, holding a wooden mug with one hand and a round wine bottle with the other. He passed her the tankard, giving the young woman little choice but to accept as he sat beside her.

Silently he poured the wine onto her mug before chugging it down directly from the bottle right after. “Ya wanna talk ‘bout that family meeting ye just had? Ya were all shining-eyed after hearin’ bout the royal invitation an’ all.”

Kamui woefully looked at the dark liquid before placing it beside her and holding her legs close to her chest. “I’m hoshidan, Master.”

There was a moment of silence before the knight burst into laughter. “Bahahaha!! Isn’t that great, girlie?!” He had to dry a tear that almost fell from the mirth. Kamui jumped in surprise, her eyes as wide as they could.

“M-master?!”

Gallahard chugged down another big gulp of wine before turning to his apprentice, a frown and a smile painting his face at the same time. “Why, one less mystery ‘bout yer roots, right?” He nodded and Kamui could only follow suit, her brow furrowed in confusion. “’s ‘nother reason for ye to finish this war quickly AND peacefully like ye wanted, right?” He leaned one arm on the grass and looked up to the shy moon, behind all those clouds, “’cause, y’know’, before ye just didn’t wanna kill for the sake of winning, but now yer got a REAL reason not kill -- though offa course you’ll still have to do it.”

“But that’s exactly--” She finally caught ahold of herself and meant to retort, but he raised his index as he held up the bottle, making her obediently shut up.

“People’re gonna die at war, Kamui; regardless of side you choose to fight for. Even if yer commanding yer soldiers not ta kill, the enemy might not be as kind and ya’ll lose people. Bein’ hoshidan, nohrian, chevois or whatever means nothin’ if yer heart’s not on the right place.” The mention of her name instead of the alias he usually used made the knight-to-be widen her eyes and take his words to heart. He looked right into her eyes and pointed to her chest. “An’ I know yer’s is. What does blood matter for if yer marching to end all wars?! Bahahah! It even makes it more poetic! Imagine: ‘honorary nohrian soldier reveals being from Hoshido after endin’ the war; peace was inside our borders all along!’” He mimicked a herald making a public announcement, finally stealing a giggle out of Kamui.

“Do you really think so, Master?” She whispered more to herself after she stopped laughing, her eyes trailing down to the mug beside her. Finally finding it appetizing, she took a sip before drinking it down in one go. “No, that’s right.” She said after wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, “as long as I have my own personal goal in mind, I won’t need to fear.”

“Now da’s my girlie.” He hit her on the back, almost making her lose grasp of the mug.

“Thank you, Master. For teaching me yet another lesson.” She gave him a half bow as she got up on her feet. “I’ll keep on trailing the same path I chose for myself as a child, but I still have one thing to do before the Knighting Ceremony.”

He raised an eyebrow. “And what’s that?” He asked as she slapped the dust out of her pants. She offered her hand to him, but he didn’t plan on getting up.

“I need to pay my respects to a very dear friend.”

After saying that, the young woman once again bowed to her master and headed back to the mansion. It hasn’t been long since she left, so she found the tea room almost the same way as before.

All three nobles straightened their backs with her return, the air suddenly thick with anticipation. Her complexion, however, betrayed the atmosphere: It was resolute. With one glance, Silas could see that both of them would indeed continue on their paths as knights.

“I have returned,” she said after entering, heading to her mother and crouching beside her. “Mother, can I see the golden hairpin?”

Confused, Eleonore looked from her husband to the table onto which lay the ornament’s box. “Of course, my dear,” she hesitantly picked the box and handed it to Kamui, “but, my daughter…”

“Thank you, Mother. And don’t worry.” The young woman contemplated the pin: it was as thin as her finger and as long as her hand, two golden butterflies resting on each tip of it, each of them decorated with small, blue and silver stones. She closed the box and brought it closer to her chest. “I’ll follow the path to knighthood as planned.”

Silas sighed in relief, his shoulders sagging visibly; he knew his sister well, after all. Leopold was in the middle of doing the same as Eleonore stiffened. “Is that really what you’ll choose, Kamui? I shall respect your decision regardless, but perhaps you could think for a bit more.” The Lady said, putting a stray strand of hair behind her daughter’s pointy ear.

Kamui closed her eyes and slightly shook her head. “I am certain, Mother. Master’s helped me see that, no matter the side of the war I choose, my goal will remain unchanged. Since I already have more chances of crawling my way into the heart of the nohrian army, I’ll do so from here.”

Finally did the Lady’s shoulders sag. “I see. Then I have at least one thing to thank Sir Gallahard for.” She said with a bittersweet smile. Eleonore’s never hidden her dislike for her children’s master, but she had to admit that he was one of the reasons Kamui could face her life so headstrongly.

“Yes, we all do,” the young noble concurred, then looked at her family one by one. “Before following that path, however, I want to visit Kaze,” she gripped the box on her chest, “and deliver this to him; so he can know that he managed to protect me until I could do so myself.”

Eleonore’s eyes immediately itched with tears; Leopold breathed in with effort as Silas lowered his head. Finally his friend could rest.

“That is a noble goal, Kamui,” Lord Lantanoir said, securely holding his wife’s shoulder as she struggled not to cry, “but I’m afraid you will not be able to visit him now and arrive in time for the Knighting Ceremony.”

As soon as the words were out of her father’s mouth, realization sank in. “Oh, no…” She took the free hand to her mouth. She and Kaze had been found on the Lantanoir Summer House, which was at least 15 days away by carriage. Even if Kamui hurried and only stayed for a day or two, it would still take over a month for her to be back – and the ceremony was less than 20 days away.

Silence stilled the room as they tried to think of a way. Before they could even bring up going after the ceremony, Kamui herself whispered an “and the Royal Ball will take place seven days after our ceremony.”

“They will send a carriage to get us and everything.” Silas added, his heart heavy and frown deep. Would Kaze have to wait, after all?

Unknowingly, Kamui had sat over her legs as she hadn’t done in years – the hoshidan style of sitting Eleonore only recognized after studying about the country’s customs – and took one hand to her chin, in thought. Her heart bled for her no-longer forgotten friend. She finally felt not accomplished, but at least a bit more whole: her past was revealed and her savior, treated with respect, at least after what that Hans fellow did.

 _Hans_ , Kamui thought with an angry frown (Silas could swear seeing her eyes glow momentarily and almost panicked). There was at least one person Kamui wouldn’t mind not showing mercy to, but even that would have its time.

“It’s okay, Father, Silas.” Kamui raised her head to meet both men’s eyes. “I’ll just need to go after the ball. We’ll be closer to the summer house at the capital, anyway.” She closed her eyes, both hands holding the hairpin’s box. “Don’t get me wrong; I still want to go more than anything – but I also can’t afford to let Kaze’s sacrifice go to waste by losing these opportunities.”

Silas acknowledged with a sad smile. “Yeah. I’m sure he won’t mind. Besides, I’ll be with you to fulfill my promise with him.”

Kamui’s smile mirrored Silas’. “Thank you, Brother. Now, more than ever.” She gave him a formal hoshidan bow, then turned to the older noblewoman. “Mother, would it be alright if I kept this? I want to go to Kaze right after the ball.”

Finally stopping the urge to cry, Eleonore gave her daughter an uncertain nod. “Of course, my dear. But is it wise? You will be going to the heart of Nohr carrying such expensive and rare hoshidan adornment…”

“It will be okay, Mother. I shall never needlessly take it out of my luggage.”

That seemed to have calmed the mother’s worrying heart as she sighed in relief. “Very well. Do be careful, my dear. I couldn’t bear to lose either of you.” She caressed the young woman’s face, looking from her to Silas.

“I will, though not right now. We still have much to rehearse for the ceremony, right, Brother?”

“Yeah, the Master’s not going to let us off until the very last day.”

The ceremony would consist of three parts: The hunt, the swordplay and the vows. Both knights-to-be would need to prove themselves in front of their elder chevaliers in order to receive their blessings at the document Sir Gallahard would forward to the castle on the next day.

The first part, during the early morning, they both would set out to hunt at the neighboring forest to catch the guests’ and, by consequence, the entire party’s, lunch. If they would choose to team up or no, that would depend on them. During late morning, while the game they caught would be prepared, the second part would occur: The swordplay, would, as the name suggests, consist of a mock battle between both squires with their preferred weapons -- Kamui with an axe and Silas with a lance.  

After witnessing their prowess in both managing weapons and ability to survive in less than ideal conditions, both siblings would change to sets of decorative armors and kneel before their master so as to say their vow in order to abide to the chivalry code.

And, lastly, there would be a commemorative dance at the ballroom at night. The chevaliers would sign both Silas’ and Kamui’s pledges on the next day, when it would be immediately sent to the castle.

Their days preceding the ceremony were filled with practice: weapon, dance and speech practice. They went back to the wooden swords so as to prevent any serious injuries and, at night, they would train their step coordination. Not two days after receiving Kamui’s reply of her life choice, Eleonore sent for the famous dressmaker Miss Margaretta: it would be her daughter’s first ball out in society and she needed to give a good impression on the Prince.

Similarly, the best tailor, Mister Mountcroix, would design Silas’ outfit for the occasion. Both of them stayed for a week in order to come up with designs that would fit the pair of siblings before leaving with the promise of delivering the complete set in time.

Two days before the ceremony, Master and apprentices sat as such for the last time -- starting from the next morning, the chevaliers and their families would start to arrive and there would be no more time for lessons. The three of them sat around a campfire, each holding a wine bottle in hand: Kamui’s was half-way done, as was Gallahard’s. Silas’ was untouched (he shared that trait with Eleonore, who didn’t enjoy much drinking).

“I’m not even worried ‘bout yer gig, y’know? I just know that ya’ll gon just go an’ make me even prouder than I a’ready am.” The knight said, raising his bottle over the fire, followed suit by both squires.

“Despite knowing the truth behind my past, I’ll remain loyal to my own convictions and to myself -- I’ll honor my vow and fight until I see the last of this war.” Kamui proclaimed, looking at the fire’s reflection on her bottle. Silas shared her proud smile as he nodded.

“I’ll uphold my vow and protect those in need so we can see the last of this war -- and so I can finally fulfill my promise.” He was the one who clinked his bottle on the other two before bringing it to his lips, prompting sister and master to follow. They spent the night in the wilds one last time.

The next day, as expected, Gallahard’s friends and acquaintances started to arrive with their families -- wives, husbands and daughters (strangely, none of them had sons) -- and were allocated accordingly. Kamui and Silas spent the entire day entertaining and receiving the guests, a total of fifteen families arrived until the late hours of the night.

Kamui barely slept, finding herself in front of her brother’s room after a few hours of shifting on her sheets -- the itch had happened sometime last week, so she needn’t to burn energy, but wanted to talk. “Brother? You’re awake, right?” She whispered by his door, doing one of their secret set of knocks.

“I am, Kamui. Come in.” His voice sounded distant and when the young woman opened the door, she found out why: he was writing by his desk, illuminated only by the moonlight.

“What’re you doing?”

He glanced at his sister before going back to his paper -- it was actually a drawing of the forest at night. “It’s just an old habit of mine.” He rested his back on the chair and stretched his arms. “Ever since the first night I saw you entering the woods, I started looking out of my window every night. After a while, I began drawing what I saw.”

“Whoa, Brother,” she gasped, placing both hands over the chair’s backrest, looking from above Silas’ head to the wonderful black-ink drawing of the scenery immediately in front of them. “If you didn’t want to be a knight, you could as well go into art or something. This is great!”

Silas blushed. “Really? Everyone who saw my drawings just said I committed a crime against humanity or nature or something.”

Kamui clearly didn’t understand of art, but to call that a monstrosity? Outrageous! “Surely you showed it to the wrong people. It looks amazing to me, Brother.” She nodded, glancing down at him.

Little did she know that the sight she was seeing was being distorted by the moon’s faint light -- her brother indeed didn’t have the hand for art; but they wouldn’t find out about that in the forseeable future: in the next break of dawn, they would be ready in front of the forest so as to set out to hunt, the fifteen chevaliers plus their Master there to witness their entry.

“It’s finally tomorrow, Kamui.” He said after a while of silence. From above him, his sister smiled.

“No, Brother. Tomorrow is only the beginning.”

 

“May your hunt be bountiful and the gods watch over you.” Gallahard announced after all knights were present to watch as both apprentices went in together. The rest of the morning would be spent in their getting ready to wait for Kamui and Silas’ return outside of the main mansion, at the site prepared exclusively for the festivities: an outdoors long dinning table right beside a fenced arena and an open kitchen; all leading to the side entrance that had a direct path to the ballroom into which the vows and the dance would happen.

Both knights-to-be came back in the late morning and all could see how they decided to team up: they carried a large elk between them (all four legs tied onto a long branch they used to share its weight). Kamui also had three hares tied to her belt.

“Bahahaah! They’re tryin’ to fatten us, mates!” Gallahard guffawed after seeing the size of the game. “Yer were THAT ‘fraid we’d starve, lad an’ lass?”

They put the prey down with a thud as two cooking assistants from Gallahard’s Power Attachés effortlessly took it away to start immediately working on it at the open kitchen (a third one came to get Kamui’s hares). “You can never be too sure, right, Master?” Kamui huffed as Silas nodded.

“Aight, now go wash up -- I want yer swordplay to happen while yer still winded because of the hunt. Show me yer stamina, kids!”

“Yes, Master!” They acknowledged in unison, running to the back in order to freshen up and catch their weapons. Their score was even for once, but Kamui hadn’t forgotten how Silas got the upper hand at The Pit.

She would win that one!

They fought with real weapons -- an axe and a lance -- though not their custom-made ones. It would be game over if either Kamui managed to break Silas’ spear or if he got his tip in a deadly spot of her body. They almost danced with the rhythm of knowing each other’s movements, the young woman used to twirling her axe around despite not being her own weapon; the man doing the side steps he learned so as to avoid his sister’s powerful thrusts.

The band was instructed to keep silent during the fight, making the audience’s anticipation even higher: knights and family were distributed around the long table in front of the fenced arena, all of them too focused on the deadly dance to worry about the scrumptious smell coming from the open kitchen.

In one of Silas’ side steps, Kamui found an opening and quickly sneaked in front of him, using not her axe, but her elbow in an upwards thrust on his lance to destabilize his balance. It was a matter of a split-of-second reaction, but before he could think, the weapon was shaking on his hand and his feet were tripping due to Kamui’s sudden approach..

The wives, husband and daughters gasped while the knights nodded in agreement as Silas fell and Kamui put her axe in front of his face, his lance rolling beside them.

Huffing, Kamui smiled with the victory. “ _Now_ we’re even, Brother!”

Silas laughed, extending his hand as Kamui put the axe away to help him up. “Technically, you’re winning from 34 to 33, but yes; we’re even.” He agreed, knowing that she was referring to the Pit battle.

The siblings couldn’t talk much for their master came running after jumping the fence, quickly slapping them both on their backs. “Congrats, girlie! Da’s one more lesson for ya to learn, boy!” He looked from one to the other, then turned around to the audience and spoke as loud as he could, making the no-longer-squires flinch. “And now tha’s this is done with, we gotta finally fill our bellies!” He raised one arm, and all of his Attachés followed suit.

“Aye!” They yelled back, swiftly bringing the food in.

Indeed they would have leftovers from the party -- the elk and rabbits were more than enough to feed all guests as well as the servants after cleaning up -- Kamui and Silas sat side by side in the middle of the table, their Master in front of them. They had the time of their lives.

Sir Savoy, for example, knew a lot of folk songs and almost danced over the table while asking for the band to accompany his singing. His brother-in-arms, Sir Stenham, had to maul his friend back to his room before he brought dishonor to his family in his mirth. Both sat right beside Kamui, who only raised her mug in approval.

Dusk slowly covered them like a blanket, signaling that the last and most important part of the ceremony was about to begin: The reading of the Vows.

After seeing everyone in, the knights-to-be excused themselves so they could change to their decorative armor -- Silas’ a replica of a Great Knight’s and Kamui’s one of a Hero’s. Sir Savoy still had the rosy cheeks of a drunk, but managed to stay on his feet and, most of all, silent while the Lantanoir siblings entered the ballroom.

Side by side, they took step after step towards the leftmost corner of the room, where their master waited with a silver rapier in hand. Kamui and Silas, despite the nervousness inside their chests, smiled proudly. The day had been bright, fun and fulfilling; they knew that all chevaliers around them already considered both youths as fellow knights, but they needed to solidify their vows.

As they approached the three steps separating them and their master, Sir Gallahard nodded in acknowledgement to each of them: He was wearing his old battle armor, polished to perfection -- at that moment he truly looked like a seasoned knight, the weight of his scars and eyepatch filling both siblings’ hearts with pride for training under such a great warrior.

Kamui and Silas took the knee, as they rehearsed, and lowered their heads. Gallahard’s deep and loud voice reverberated throughout the ballroom and inside their chests. “Silas Lantanoir and Kamui Lantanoir. You both are here to pledge your loyalty to the Nohrian Army. However, to do so, you must vow to follow the chivalry code.” The knight started, his usual accent nowhere to be found.

“I am aware.” The siblings said at the same time.

Gallahard smirked and raised his chin. “What do you vow?”

Kamui raised her head, one hand over her chest same as her brother. “I vow to always defend the honor of someone in need.”

“I vow to always speak the truth and be loyal to my lord,” Silas accompanied, both of them talking in unison.

“I will always be brave and will never run from a challenge nor avoid a treacherous path,” Kamui continued, looking right into her Master’s eye, her smile growing as she spoke.

“I will be charitable and will defend any helpless I find in my path.” Silas finished.

“I vow to protect the honor of my lord and my land until the battle’s won or my blood’s spent.” They said with a louder voice, receiving a proud nod from their master before he touched the tip of the rapier on their shoulders.

“It is here, by witness of Dame Ahelissa, Dame Aphra, Sir Berold, Dame Betsy, Sir Brianus the Selfish,” as he said each name, the knights ackonwledged with a step forward, “Sir Everard, Dame Gussalen, Sir Isambard, Sir Meraud, Sir Raluf, Sir Reimond, Sir Savoy, Sir Stenham, Dame Theffania and Sir Thibaud the Bodyguard that I, Sir Gallahard the Watchful dub thee, Silas Lantanoir and thee, Kamui Lantanoir, rightful Knights of Nohr.”

The newly knighted duo rose after their Master had put the rapier away and turned to the guests. Eleonore couldn’t help but sob, a handkerchief over her face; Leopold shed silent and proud tears, his chin raised up. The siblings looked at each other and saluted the nohrian way, with a closed fist by their chests.

“It will be an honor to serve beside you, Sir Silas.” Kamui smiled proudly, as did her brother. 

“Likewise, Dame Kamui.” He flicked his head towards her and they both walked towards their chevalier elders as Sir Gallahard stayed behind.

Claude swiftly helped his lord take off the armor – Gallhard didn’t mind a skirmish or two, but putting on that armor again always brought back memories from the days he lost his loved ones. The butler worked quickly and by the time Kamui and Silas were done thanking the veteran knights, Gallahard was back with his smile, wearing the simple garment he had on underneath the armor.

“Blargh,” he massaged his jaw, approaching the duo, “I dunno how ye both can talk all proper like that all the time, lad and lass. I think my tongue’s numb.”

“You were very dashing, Master.” Silas bobbed his head in respect as Kamui put both arms on her waist.

“It felt weird, like a different person. But so cool!”

“Ya, nuff flattery from yer both. You still gotta open the ball, go ‘n.” He pointed his chin to the middle of the room, prompting both siblings to exchange looks and smile. Silas bowed extravagantly, raising one hand to his sister, the other one behind his back.

“Would you give me the honor to share your first dance as a knight, Dame Kamui, ma’am?”

The young woman giggled, giving her hand to Silas. “Why, yes, I would, Sir Silas.” She replied in the same manner, being led to the center. They held each other at the waltz’s characteristic closed position and waited for the band to start the song.

The decorative armors didn’t get in the way as they treated through the dance floor, their synchrony inviting the bolder chevaliers to dance alongside them. Eleonore and Leopold followed, and soon the ballroom was filled with swirling couples, painting it with a wide array of colors.

The festivities were scheduled to break through the night towards dawn, but it came to a close as exhaustion filled the wives and husbands (as well as the manor’s Lord and Lady) of the knights. Even after seeing everyone off, Kamui felt too giddy to turn in for the night.

She had done it.

She gave the first step towards her goal.

Even if she felt accomplished at the moment, she knew that there was a whole life of fighting ahead of her; of servitude and loyalty. She didn’t want to break the vow she painfully acquired if the worst came to pass and she discovered some dark truth about her past, but she wasn’t going to stop following her own convictions.

Once again Kamui found herself at the clearing, watching the now starry sky – it truly looked like it was responding to her state of mind. Twenty days ago, it was cloudy as her heart, but now – now it was open, like the path ahead.

No matter what the Crown Prince had in store for her (she would try not to have high expectations, though her Master constant mentioning of the retainer issue made that very hard to accomplish), Kamui would face him head on and comply.

The ball was only seven days away, but the carriage would come to pick them up in two days. Their written pledge and arrival at the castle would happen almost at the same time, and Kamui wondered if it would take long for the army’s officials to process their paperwork. She planned on visiting Kaze, but the trip would take twenty days at the earliest and she worried that she would have to straight to the job after coming back.

Which was why she was taking her customized axe with her, alongside the sword her parents gave her after the party was done; a matching pair with Silas’, with the family crest on the hilt and their names carved on the blade.

A new day was about to dawn, as well as a new life for the mostly-secluded noble. She would meet many people and, despite the positivity she felt from her family and friends about her outward appearance, she knew she had to be on her toes. Especially because she still had no clue about what she was.

Kamui nodded to herself, getting up from the grass and slapping the dirt away from her pants. “Don’t let it get to you, Kamui. You lived your entire life thinking short of yourself because of these,” she touched her pointy ears, “but stay strong, no matter what they say!”

 

The next day was as busy as the previous one: The chevaliers signed the pledge during the morning, and some were already prepared to leave by the time the mid-day meal was served. A courier from the castle had been summoned to take the paper a week previous, so he immediately set out after the end of the signatures.

Kamui and Silas hadn’t time to rest, though: Apart from entertaining the rest of the guests, they still had to take the last fitting for their new clothes for the ball as well as to prepare their luggage for the voyage. Kamui made hers significantly bigger due to her side-trip (they came to an agreement that Silas would remain in case they needed to explain why Kamui wasn’t home if their paperwork was done before her return), and wondered if she should take at least Clara with her.

“Hmm,” Silas crossed his arms, deep in thought, “but they said that we shouldn’t bring our own servants since we’ll be ‘appropriately attended’, as they worded.”

“Yes,” Kamui leaned her cheek on her palm, tired of packing, “but I’ll go to the summer house straight from the ball; I’ll need Clara with me, if not for helping in and out of the dress, at least to aid me during the trip.”

“Ya, but no servants from outside’re allowed in the castle, girlie. Even if ya bring her, she’ll hafta stay in an inn or somethin’ till the ball’s done an’ gone.” Gallahard said from the door. He took two steps inside, “’s not easy to enter the castle, an’ I don’t mean literally, since there’re all those ‘open castle days’ n’ stuff.” He crouched beside the kneeling young woman as she turned around from the bed to him. “’s hard to be summoned to work there an’ even harder to leave. I managed to leave His Majestyfulness’ side ‘cause I saved his neck durin’ a battle an’ he granted me a royal favor n’ all that malarkey.”

Kamui sat over her legs so as to face her master, glad to be taken away from packing. “Yeah, you’ve told us something about that battle before.”

Silas crouched down to complete the three kneeling nobles beside a bed with hundreds of clothes scattered around, a frown painted across his face. “But does that mean that we’ll never be able to leave?”

“Bahahah!” Gallahard threw his head back in laughter, “yer not even in yet an’re already thinkin’ ‘bout leavin’? Relax, boy!” He slapped Silas’ back, making him choke, “survive yer first dozen o’ battles ‘fore ya think ‘bout that.”

The young man glanced at his sister, worried about her future condition. However, he slowly breathed in. It was her own choice; he just needed to be there for her. “You’re right, Master, as always. Let’s get this packing over with quickly – we don’t know at what time the carriage will come to pick us up tomorrow.”

Kamui groaned and complied. A month of travelling with that much luggage and no attachés. Great.

 

Their goodbye was a fast, though heartfelt one. Eleonore felt light for finally telling the truth to her daughter, and seeing her follow her own path without the burden of her past – or at least with the burden lighter – made the mother that much relieved. Leopold never erased his proud smile for the ceremony had been beautiful and the pledge was already on its way to the castle. Two knight children.

“Try not to be overwhelmed about the palace, you two.” He warned, squeezing both siblings’ shoulders. “It’s a big and foreign place, but I have faith that, as long as you’re together, you can do well on your first ball out in society.”

Eleonore hesitated in reaching out for her daughter. “Kamui, about our talk…”

The young woman turned to her mother. “Hm? About what, Mother?”

“Your suitors, my dear.” Eleonore glanced from her husband to her daughter.

The night before, they had talked about finding a husband or a wife for Kamui. She complied, but of course told her mother to keep in mind that they should know about her job being a dangerous one and her motive a secret until they were ready to listen.

_“If it’s a woman, Mother, we will need to know each other first, so it might be complicated…” She took a sip of her tea. Marriage has always been a common topic ever since she was a child, so she didn’t mind her mother choosing a suitor for her. But for the lineage to continue in a same-sex marriage, the spouse’s bonds would have to be very strong for a Bond child to be born unto them._

_And Kamui was sure no lady would have time nor patience to court a newly knighted full of work, dangerous missions and little time off such as herself._

_“Of course, dear. I shall keep that in mind when selecting someone. We will speak through letters, hm?” Lady Lantanoir caressed Kamui’s face before turning to her son. “And you, my child? May I also look for suitors for you? Do you also have a preference?”_

_Silas choked on the tea he was sipping and unambiguously glanced at Kamui before hiding his face under the handkerchief so as to dry his mouth and chin. “I, uh, haven’t thought about marriage yet, Mother. Forgive me, I need a bit more time.”_

Eleonore’s words by the gates brought these memories back to Silas, his eyes woefully looking at his sister as she smiled at her mother.

“Worry not, Mother. I shall wear my hair up on the ball, so you can be certain that they all will know that I am available for marriage.” The young woman squeezed her mother’s hands before kissing them with respect. “Now we have to go. Goodbye, Mother; Father. Thank you for everything.”

Silas bowed, blinking to take himself away from the trance of last night’s memories and bowed. “Goodbye, Father; Mother. See you when I come back.”

“Safe travels, children.” The parents replied at the same time, watching as both young nobles turned around to get inside the royal carriage.

 

The coachman treated them with the utmost respect, like they were his masters. It’s made the trip less awkward since they felt welcomed by at least one person from the castle – even if it was one of such low echelon.

The first four days passed without much trouble (Kamui’s itch was scheduled to happen sometime next week, so she was at least in peace regarding that) and, on the day of the ball, both nobles had to stop at a high-class inn so as to use the help of its servants to put them inside their party garments.

 

At Strömborg, the western castle, the ball started as soon as dusk fell, though that was a manner of speaking since the capital has always been darker than the rest of the kingdom. While Kamui and Silas were getting ready at the inn, half of the invitees occupied the large, almost gargantuan, ballroom.

It was of a grandiosity without equal: the dark marble floor contrasted with the yellow and purple lighting, magically extended with the Second Prince’s own signature on the formulae. The main entrance led directly to the room, through a long, red-carpeted corridor. Since the castle had been built inside the stone, it had many lower levels, and the ballroom was one of them: as soon as someone entered, they would be greeted by two flights of U-shaped stairs that would meet again in the middle at an intermediate landing before going further down at a bullnose as the last step, its railing a beautifully carved volute.

And, for as far as the eye could see, the extravagant decorations shone at each step as the band played a soft and peppy tune.

The ball was in commemoration of the vernal equinox and festivities held in honor of the gods of harvest were being held throughout the kingdom – since nohrian soil lacked many nutrients and its sky was rarely blessed with much sunlight, the people relied heavily on what they could plant in these conditions. Trading with neighboring countries was also an essential part of Nohr’s economy, and keeping a good relationship with them through the news of the bounty festivals were crucial for the dark kingdom’s survival.

At the party, hosted at the castle where the Royal Family made its residence, two of its members marking their presence in it: the Crown Prince Lord Xander and the First Princess Lady Camilla. Second Prince Leo and Youngest Princess Elise still weren’t of age to attend to formal events in court and were kept in the royal wing for the duration of the ball.

King Garon had excused himself from the commemorations entirely due to focusing himself on the war at the military’s central command located at the main Castle, Krakenburg.

Xander and Camilla shared a dance, using the opportunity to be on their own for as long as the song lasted to talk, virtually the only way they could do so without either being bothered or spied.

The prince had his hair slicked back, the crown given by his father nowhere to be seen to hide his perpetual frown. He wore a black, double-breasted frock coat with a red velvet cravat, almost as though he had agreed with Camilla to match the color of her dress: a vibrant burgundy and black taffeta long gown with an open back and a scandalous cleavage. Their gloved hands – his white and hers, black – worked in harmony with the beat of the song as their eyes ever so watchfully scanned the ballroom.

“According to schedule, they must have arrived already, Xander.” Camilla turned her head to accompany the beat after a backward walk followed by a quick turn.

“Indeed. If everything goes well, they should reach the palace at any moment.” He concurred, leading his sister to a left turning box with inside turn, catching her hand again as their eyes met.

“Will you really entrust the boy’s judgment to me? I am flattered with the honor, but there is still time to rethink.”

Xander’s lips curved up to something akin to a smile. “I am certain, my sister. After me, only you know of our circumstances well enough to rate a retainer’s worth. Whatever you decide after this ball is over, shall be done.”

Camilla laughed, her fluffy hair fluttering behind her as they did a series of turns. “Then I will not have mercy in my decision.” She huffed after they stopped spinning and Xander pressed her back to lead her to a slower set of steps. “Everything is in accordance with the band, mind. As soon as we both choose our next partners, they shall start the melody you requested.”

“Good,” he praised, something at the top of the stairs catching his attention. “And the song must play for as long as our talk lasts. Alas, Camilla,” he pointed his chin up, turning with the rhythm so his sister could look at the newly arrived duo, “they have come.”

“Dame Kamui and Sir Silas from the Lantanoir Household have arrived!” The Court Marshal and Master of Ceremonies Lord Abbington announced both young nobles’ arrival to the ballroom. It remained mostly unaffected, since the last half of the guests were still coming. Kamui tried not to stare, but ever since she’s been shown in, everything has been overwhelming: There were all kinds of people, from every color, race and even species (she could’ve sworn she saw a wolfskin somewhere, but it could have been a kind of laguz as well; she only noticed a foreign tail).

Not to mention the pressure of simply being there, surrounded by so many new people with her hair up in a bun with only a thick lock of hair twirling down to her shoulder. She was glad that at least her dress didn’t fall short to the palace: A navy blue, sleeveless jacquard brocaded corset with boning imbued with a poly lace up bodice and a long, black tiered ruffle skirt at the back, the front sewn with sparse silver brocades; long, dark gloves covered her arms.

Silas wore a dark grey tailcoat, his hair obediently slicked to the side for once. They parted ways as each one took one flight of the U-shaped stairs so as to meet again at the intermediate landing, immediately locking arms and taking deep breaths before slowly descending the last staircase.

The song continued, however some couples stopped dancing to watch as the Royal siblings themselves came to greet the Lantanoir nobles; Xander to Kamui and Camilla to Silas.

“It is a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance, Dame Kamui,” Xander gave her a slight bow as she curtsied, “I thank you for accepting the invitation. I am Xander, the Crown Prince of Nohr. And this is Camilla, the Eldest Princess.”

The first time their eyes met, Kamui felt something bristle at the nape of her neck. Xander allowed himself a small smile as he paid attention to the young woman’s feline eyes. _Kitten_ , he thought with warmth, making Kamui’s heart skip a beat. The pressure of royalty could be seen on every fiber of his body, contrary to his smiling sister. His burgundy eyes carried a conviction as deep as, if not deeper than hers, and she could already discern from that first glance that his extended hand, disguised as a request for a dance, meant business.

Her heart pounded in her chest – the first test had started. She managed to smile shyly and curtsied once more. “I am most flattered to be greeted by Your Highness himself.” She replied, glancing from one royal to the other, nodding at the tall princess. “It is an honor to be able to enjoy a tradition as important as this one in Your Highnesses presences.” Entranced by his seriousness, the knight slid her hand over his, silently accepting the implied invitation for the dance.

As soon as their hands touched, the song changed. It was the complete opposite of the one that was being played previously – it was intense and fast-paced. Its name was [War and Peace](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpqwCUkysCs).

“We have much to discuss, my lady,” Xander said, bidding farewell to Silas and Camilla with a nod before escorting Kamui to the middle of the ballroom; every couple they passed by opening way for them. Soon they were isolated in the middle, with room to spare to dance – and to talk. The song was not only passionate, but also loud.

Kamui held her dress with her left hand, the same Xander held, and, when they arrived at the desired spot, she slid her right one to his shoulder, feeling his right hand press her shoulder blade. Immediately they started moving to accompany the rhythm, getting used to each other before trying any difficult movements.

The prince’s hand on her back guided her with a precision she had never felt before; not with her father, not with her instructor and certainly not with her brother. No; Xander had a strong grip followed by a smooth movement, making her role as his dance partner the easiest in the world – his leading was clear and straightforward -- soon they were doing complicated spins and leg works.

After the first left turning box with outside turn, as they raised their free arms up for the split of second – Kamui saw how intently he was looking at her. “Now that we are alone,” his voice rumbled through her chest when they went back to each other’s arms, “we can speak freely. You must know why I summoned you here, my lady.”

A stubborn lock of hair left the prince’s hairdo, dangling beside his right eye – but it only made Kamui less intent on taking her eyes off of him. “Indeed I do, my Lord. My Master uncovered Your Highness’ intention with the letter.”

“Ah, yes, Sir Gallahard the Watchful.” Xander mused, quickly turning his head around to show Kamui the next side they were going to spin to. “Then I can come to the conclusion that, by accepting this invitation, you also have your sights on assuming the position of my retainer?”

 _So Master was right_ _after all_ , Kamui thought, pressing her lips into a thin line. The first test! “If my Lord thinks me worthy, then I shall abide to it.”

“I have witnessed your prowess in battle, against that young man you call brother,” he glanced to his sister’s direction – she was also speaking with Silas during a dance – and then turned back to Kamui, “which have left me no doubts about your physical abilities.”

Kamui licked her lips, the tension making her throat dry, “however?”

Xander’s frown lightened in a not-quite smile, in a less serious face. He liked that she was quick to catch up. “That is all I know about you.”

 _Ah, of course,_ Kamui thought _, he wouldn’t call just anyone to be his retainer without digging up the past. But it seems he hasn’t found anything regarding Hoshido._ “It is all that I am, my Lord,” she started, huffing after a series of twirls, “as Your Highness must know, I am an orphan from the Battle of Cheve. I was lucky enough to have Mo—that is to say, Lady Lantanoir to take pity of me and take me in after those dreadful days.”

“Indeed?” He contemplated, pulling up her body as they started a series of progressive outside steps, without missing a beat. “And why did you choose the way of the knight after receiving the chance of staying forever as a noblewoman?”

 _Is he perhaps concerned about me not looking like a chevois – or normal human, for that matter – and is testing me?_ She fixed her gaze on his, the memories of her painful past and her friend’s sacrifice ever present in the back of her mind. “I wish nothing more than to end the war, my Lord, so no other children have to go through what I did – the medics speculated that I have blocked the memories from before the Battle of Cheve because I most likely witnessed my parent’s deaths.”

Xander’s frown flickered with concern. “Forgive me. I should not have pressed the issue that further; it was thoughtless of me to remind you of such terrible memories.”

Kamui closed her eyes, dismissing his apology. “Worry not, Your Highness. It is your duty to ascertain yourself about the people you will be working with in the future.” She replied, being led to a back to back sequence, her eyes never focused on the crowd for they were always led back to the prince. After they were back on the original position, she pursed her lips. “However, before we enter in an agreement, I assume you will want to talk about my outward appearance.”

The prince spared a glance at the knight’s pointy ears and his lips curved down in a shrug. “From what I have gathered, you have never made a public transformation nor do you have any other physical differences apart from your ears. I see little point in pressing the matter further as long as you can assure me you have control over your inner beast.”

“You seem used to dealing with shape-shifters,” she blurted out, surprised. Then, quickly added his title. “Ah, my Lord.”

The Prince gave a half-smile for her blunder, “you must have noticed when you were shown in, my lady, that we do not discriminate anyone in the castle. As long as they fulfill their role, the species or skin color of the person matters not. The same can be said about you.”

Acceptance in the least place she thought she would find. Warmth and conflict inside her heart – suddenly she noticed how calm she was, as though the Prince was shouldering her worries. “Alas, Your Highness. I have never shifted before, despite being always in possession of a beaststone.” She meekly looked up at him, finding understanding in his eyes. “I feel the need to be honest with my Lord due to the role you have offered me: I can indeed control the beast inside of me, though I know not what it is for it has not surfaced yet.”

“A late bloomer; not a rare case.” He turned his head to the right, guiding her to a fast set of box steps. “We will have time to work on this once you start.”

Kamui’s stomach turned. “Have I passed the test, my Lord?”

“I have ascertained that you are not an enemy of Nohr; have good reflexes and has no issues with being led on. You are also sincere and your eyes truly are focused on the end of the war. Tell me, Kamui, have you brought your weapon?”

The unexpected turn of his speech made Kamui open and close her mouth before replying, “I have, my Lord. It is stationed at the guest room they have prepared for myself alongside my luggage.” She glanced down to her leg, “if it is a question of whether I am armed at the moment or not, well…”

The prince chuckled, his body trembling with mirth. She had brought a hidden knife to a royal ball! The audacity! “Splendid.” He turned with vigor, making her hold her breath and almost miss the step, “you have everything I look for in someone to serve under my immediate command. Do you accept to be my retainer, Dame Kamui? I am in need of your services.”

Kamui squeezed her hand on his, nodding in acceptance. “I do, my Lord, if you will have me.”

Xander glanced to something or someone over Kamui’s head before continuing with the twirls he had started. The song started its last section. “Wonderful. You have no qualms in starting tomorrow, then? I have received your written pledge and, as far as the army is concerned, you are already part of it.”

 _Kaze, forgive me_ , Kamui pressed her lips as they started their last step: a combination of open twinkles.

The song ended; Prince and knight in the middle of the ballroom with their hands connected and their opposing arms extended to the air. Huffing, Kamui took a step towards him as he gave his arm to escort her to a table. “I have no objections, my Lord. I look forward to working with you from now on.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> f-finally... finally ye gods I posted this ball scene!! It's been on my mind ever since the oneshot all those months ago... FINALLY OTL


	9. Life in the Castle

Even after the dance, the couples that had made way for the Crown Prince kept an uncertain distance, trying to determine from whence his partner came. Noticing that and taking Kamui’s mostly-secluded past in consideration, Xander slowly bended his head towards his new retainer so as to whisper close to her ear.

“Rule number one of living in the castle: You are always being watched,” he started, Kamui’s entire neck bristling as his hot breath reached her pointy ear. “Therefore, any kind of important issue must be pressed either inside a secure room or,” he glanced at her before looking over his shoulder towards the dance floor they had left, “during a dance.”

Kamui’s eyes shone with the lesson – so soon after she had accepted the position of retainer! “Acknowledged, my Lord.” She nodded as they reached the leftmost table, close to the area reserved for the royal family.

Xander gave her a half bow in respect to the dance they had shared; his frown less apparent than usual, pleased to have chosen not only a good soldier, but one eager to learn as well. He brought her hand to his lips, the tip of their fingers tingling under their gloves with the action. “I shall send further directions during the later hours.”

The knight slowly retracted her hand, not understanding why she was hesitant in doing so, and curtsied. “Yes, my Lord. It was a pleasure to share a dance with yourself.”

Again the Crown Prince’s frown lightened and the corners of his mouth almost smiled, pleased. “Likewise, my lady.” As he turned to leave, he met Camilla and Silas on their way to the table. One exchange of glances with his sister and he was already informed of how the Lantanoir siblings would start serving the royal family at the same time. “Indeed?” He only asked, giving his hand to his sister, another round of secrecy and waltz planned on both prince and princess’ feet.

Camilla let out a pleased laugh. “Yes!” She smiled, taking her brother’s hand as the next song started to play.

Silas had bidden farewell to the princess after their dance, so him and Xander only exchanged nods before each going their way: the knight to his sister; the prince to the dance floor. Despite looking rather nervous, Silas had an awkward smile painted on his face.

As soon as the siblings locked eyes, their smiles grew. “Brother!” Kamui trotted towards him, eager to say the news, but before she even opened her mouth, Xander’s most recent lesson flashed on her mind. “Oh!” She took one hand to her mouth as the other one held her brother’s. “C’mon, let’s go dance as well!”

“Kamui?!” Confused, Silas could only follow as he was pulled towards the middle of the ball (inadvertently, Kamui had dodged a pair of curious nobles who were about to sit on the table so as to question her whereabouts – same duo Xander had seen while they approached the table before he shared the wisdom of the dance talk). Once there, Kamui twirled herself in her brother’s arms, getting into position.

_ Oh _ , she thought before she opened her mouth,  _ how odd _ . The burning sensation the prince’s hand had left on her back immediately disappeared when Silas placed his over her shoulder blade. Shaking her head, Kamui cleared her thoughts. “It was true, Brother!” She exclaimed at they got themselves into rhythm. “I was called to be Lord Xander’s retainer!”

“Lord Xander’s?!” He gasped. “After what Princess Camilla told me, I was sure you were going to be serving alongside me; or at least under Prince Leo.”

Kamui frowned. “What did Lady Camilla say?”

They made a series of twirls before mingling with the other couples in the dancefloor, Silas' mien raising one eyebrow. "She asked me to be the Youngest Princess, Lady Elise's, retainer."

Kamui gasped in surprise. "Lady Elise's? I heard she's barely twelve years old!"

Silas nodded, tilting his head to the side so as to guide Kamui in another set of steps. "I’m as surprised as you; I thought we would serve together."

"True. I thought  _ you _ , who won the tournament at The Pit would be the chosen to serve under Lord Xander, at least." The young knight glanced around, looking for the tall blond head of the Crown Prince before turning back to her brother. "I wonder why we were chosen for these positions..." She mumbled more to herself than to Silas, despite looking at his general direction.

"Well, about that," Silas started, doing a set of box steps. "Lady Camilla said that they needed someone who was officially knighted and who also had discipline as well as knew how to follow the rules so as to, uh, cooperate? Better? With Lady Elise's current retainer." He sounded uncertain, the details of his position still a bit hazy.

First Princess Camilla spoke of an inexperienced girl who became the youngest retainer to that date at age 15 because she won Youngest Princess Elise's favour -- however, she was inexperienced in rules only, since she had a certain... gift with her strength and battle prowess. Technicalities of her upbringing weren't mentioned during the brief dance, though he a promise of more news and orders to come at a later time, much like what Crown Prince Xander had told Kamui.

"It seems the choice of our positions didn’t come as randomly as we thought, eh?" Kamui mused, bobbing her head to the sides in thought, her heart still pounding inside her chest. The first step to achieving her goal had been made and the anticipation to find out what waited for her next made a smirk spring up at the sides of her mouth.

Of course, she still had to visit Kaze. But now, only after her duties would permit -- and she would be patient about it; the pin inside her luggage ever a reminder of her objective.

"Oh, that's right," that particular trail of thought brought her back to Silas as he conducted her once again to another set of steps. "What're you going to do about your luggage? You only brought the necessary to stay for a few days, unlike myself."

She felt a growl inside his chest as he frowned in thought, "yeah, I'll have to send word to Wiston so he can send my things over." Then, he sighed, "Mother will not be pleased by this," he said with a nervous laugh.

Kamui shared the sentiment and giggled as well. "She was so looking forward to spend more time with you before we were called to duty; but I'm sure she'll understand in due time."

"Let's pray that Father manages to keep her at home lest she marches here only to see us off." He hummed as the song started its last segment.

The young knight giggled as Silas turned her around to match the rhythm. "It's totally possible that she'd do that!"

Once again a song ended, giving time for the couples to either adjust themselves or to leave the dance floor so another one could begin. Silas held Kamui's hand as they walked towards the table the Crown Prince had escorted Kamui to previously, then both exchanged glances.

They weren't told to keep secret; but they weren't told to divulge anything, either. And if the timing of Crown Prince Xander's first lesson was anything to go by, they knew they shouldn't talk about the topic so carelessly.

Both of them thought of the same thing as they headed for the table, where the nobles from before still waited for them, certainly eager to know their relationship with the Crown.

Being sheltered from court their whole lives, Silas and Kamui had to rely on their Mother's teachings about how to switch the topic around to more pleasant subjects, or at least to ones they master.

"Oh, but it is simply my debut in society," Kamui would reply to their questions with a confused hand over her cheek, trying to sound meek and as surprised as they were. "Our family's one of knights; surely we are not the only ones hailing from one here?" She tilted her head to her brother, who only smiled and nodded.

"I could not leave my sister alone in such an important day for her, see," he cleared his throat, bobbing his head from Kamui to the ladies around them. "It is a most important time for our family, after all." He glanced at her hairdo.

The ladies hummed an 'ohh' of surprise, hiding their faces behind their feathery fans and giggling. She was of marriageable age and put her hair up to leave it open to the society how she was available to do so. They felt akin to the knight, though of course that also meant they had yet another rival for the Crown Prince's favour.

And the odds were seemingly at HER favor, for the Prince had chosen to dance with her right away. The audacity!

_ Ugh _ , Kamui groaned mentally, doing her best to keep a smile on her face,  _ the animosity is so strong; no wonder Mother told me that the most dangerous thing in the world outside would be other people's eyes and not their blades at my throat _ . She nudged her brother's arm with her elbow, making them exchange looks.

He was as pitiful as she was, and it was getting harder for him to keep his smile with each passing hour. Since they had arrived during the middle of the ball, it would be considered rude to leave right away, so they had to keep it up until at least one third of the guests had left.

Sometimes Kamui would find herself glancing at the dance floor, looking for Crown Prince Xander -- he wasn't hard to spot, mind. His flawless poise, his slicked back hair and tall stature stood out even in a diverse place such as Strömborg Castle. Their eyes never once met, however. He had to make small talk with every noble as well as indulge some to a dance or two; not to mention he had to give the speech to bring the food in, then another to open the dance floor once more and, of course, the closuring speech as well.

_ What a busy man _ , Kamui thought, sipping on a glass of wine handed to her by a servant.  _ Guess I'll have to learn all about whatever he does from tomorrow on, huh _ . She looked back to her table, nodding at whatever a noble girl had been talking about.

She had been so nervous before entering the ball, but somehow after she had been accepted by the Crown Prince, even having her ears plain in sight didn't bother her as much -- and the girls around the table  _ did  _ steal glances at it, as many times as they whispered to each other behind their fans.

_ “You must have noticed when you were shown in, my lady, that we do not discriminate anyone in the castle. As long as they fulfill their role, the species or skin color of the person matters not. The same can be said about you.” _ Were the Prince’s own words. As long as she could prove herself useful, the comments would stop. The knight barely saw anyone looking at the Laguz scattered around the place -- they had already obtained their spots in there, as would she.

 

They left a bit after half of the other guests excused themselves, Kamui and Silas both going up the stairs the same way they had entered, then looking back to the immense ballroom. Inadvertently, Kamui looked at the tall blonde head so far away into the large room, and their eyes finally met.

She held her breath, nervous.  _ Maybe that's what's it's like to have a boss _ . She smiled and bowed to the Prince, who nodded before turning back to his business with an attendee. Kamui turned around to leave and didn't see as the Crown Prince gestured to someone at a corner.

The knights already knew where their quarters would be -- they were separated in opposing wings; the western one for females and the easter one for males. Silas escorted Kamui all the way to the entrance of the West Wing, however, as did many a gentlemen before they said their goodbyes to their pairs.

He looked around and bended over to her so as to whisper. "I guess we'll each receive the orders later? Crown Prince Xander and Eldest Princess Camilla seemed busy as we left."

"Hmm..." Kamui took one hand to her chin in thought, "His Highness did say he would send word later." She looked over Silas' shoulder, seeing more and more guests passing by them, despite the siblings choosing a quiet spot near a wall. "Don't sleep early, then?" She giggled, tapping on his chest so he could straighten himself. They could barely talk amongst themselves without attracting attention.

One hand suddenly patted Silas' back. "'scuse me, are ya the Lantanoir sibs?" A young voice spoke from below.

Blinking, Silas turned around as Kamui lifted one eyebrow to the young page. "That would be us." He replied, taking a step away from his sister so she could also see the boy.

He took both of their hands. "Great! Now follow me quick 'cause Miss Bithell doesn't like waitin'." He said and, without waiting for their replies, pulled them deeper towards the West Wing.

Silas panicked. "W-wait, males aren't allowed here! I can't go in!" He whispered gravely, tripping over his own feet as the boy dragged them. Kamui simply held her dress with her free hand and followed.

"C'mon, Brother, it's not like there are  _ no  _ males at all around." She pointed with her chin to this or that couple that had the man walk the woman all the way to her room before leaving, "see?"

The knight blushed. "I know, but still! There are too many unaccompanied women around, and it's not courteous of me to see them like this!"

"Heehee, you're too serious, Brother!" Kamui giggled, dismissing his worries. Silas lowered his head and grumbled something about common courtesy towards ladies and tried his best to only look straight ahead, to the boy’s back.

The page pulled them left and right towards Kamui's room, in front of which a well-dressed lady waited. She had deep red hair, which was cut short over her shoulders, and it was symmetrical to a fault. Her garments weren't ball clothes, no, but they stood out nevertheless -- she wore a summer dress with vibrant colors despite the entire kingdom being shaded on a constant layer of cold. Over her face lay a pair of thin glasses, under which she scrutinized them with her thin eyes.

"Ah, I see that you both made it quickly. That's good." She said and gave them a head bob as acknowledgement. "I am called Meredith Bithell and I shall take your measurements now. If you may." She gestured to the door, urging them to go inside.

Confused, Silas opened it for his equally confused sister to enter. "Measurements? What for?" He asked as both ladies walked in, politely staying outside.

"For your uniforms, of course." The woman said matter-of-factly. "Now wait there, I'll get yours as well." She pushed the door close almost on his face, while his hand was still on the handle.

"H-hey, wait!" He stuttered, unsure of where to touch. Feeling a burning stare on his ear, he turned to his side to see the page still waiting beside him, with an extended hand.

Ah, yes, the tip. Silas cleared his throat and searched his person for a silver coin, placing it on the page's hand. "Will you tell me what's going on now-- hey, wait! Don't run off as soon as you get the money!"

He tried to go after the boy, but then that would mean not waiting for the seamstress like she told him to. The knight sighed and obediently stood right in front of the door, unsure of where else to wait.

Unaccompanied women here and there passed by him, whispering to themselves. He grew stiffer with each glance and had to turn his back to the corridor, leaning his head on the door, his face bright red. "Kamui... quickly..." He grumbled, trying to hide his embarrassment.

Inside the room, Lady Bithell helped Kamui out of her dress at the same time she measured the knight's body. "Hmm, this part is larger than I first thought." She commented over Kamui's bust after she was already on her underwear, then turned back to a small notebook she took out of her own dress.

"Um... what is this all about?" Kamui finally asked, putting on her usual training clothes instead of her nightgown -- she wanted to be ready for anything that night.

Still focused on her notebook, Lady Bithell tapped the tip of her feather over her lips, "I am here, as I already said, to take yours and your brother's measurements to fix the uniforms I had previously sewn for you two. Then-- ah," she finally took her eyes out of her notes to the knight in front of her. "So you'll prefer the pants version, hm? Allow me to measure those as well." She kneeled and immediately threw the measuring tape around Kamui's tights, barely asking for permission.

"Pants version?" The knight asked, getting increasingly confused. "I don't think I'm following."

Once again Lady Bithell noted down the numbers before getting up, and when she did, she simply looked to Kamui under her glasses. "I am not here to answer your questions; however I do know that you'll be visited by a gentleman later this evening and that he will explain whatever it is that you wish to know."

'Visited by a gentleman' had a terrible sound to Kamui's ears, making her snort.  _ What a poor choice of words, _ she thought before heading to the door. Lady Bithell was faster, however, and opened it without any warning, making Silas trip inside.

He was still leaning his head over the door and was surprised when it suddenly opened; though, since he had good reflexes, he simply put his weight on his next step and ended up on an awkward pose, as though he was standing over thin ice, unsure of where to go. Lady Bithell had stepped away before he bumped on her, simply adjusting her glasses.

"Your turn now, young man. To the folding screen, if you may." She pointed her feather towards the screen she and Kamui had been previously, leaving it to her to close the door, which she did while still giggling.

Silas scratched the back of his head; he didn't go well with demanding people since he would almost always obey them. He opened his mouth to speak, but gave up and went to where he was told to go.

Kamui had to put both hands over her mouth so as not to burst in laughter; strange snorts leaving her nose as she failed to do so.

 

The Lady went back as quickly as she came, promising that their uniforms would be adjusted by the morn. Kamui tilted her head to the side as she waved the woman goodbye. "Will she stay up all night fixing them? So diligent..."

Embarrassed, Silas fidgeted beside his sister, wanting to quickly leave the Ladies Wing. "She... she didn't say anything about me having to be here, right? When the messenger comes? I can be in my own quarters, right?"

Kamui held the door ajar, only a sliver of the corridor's light illuminating her face. "I'm not sure. She didn't say you should be here, but she also didn't say you  _ shouldn’t _ ."

Silas held the doorknob over Kamui's hand. "Oh, Kamui, but I must go! There can't be a man leaving your room at this hour, let alone on a wing specifically partitioned for women!" He breathed heavily. "We might be siblings, but we're not related by blood. You've seen how the people here are."

"That's true," the young woman took one finger to her cheek in thought, "though there's gonna be a man leaving my quarters  _ even later _ , according to Lady Bithell." She pressed her lips into a thin line.

Silas felt his heart fall. This messenger better not take too long inside his sister's room! If so, he should leave after everyone is asleep so as not to soil Kamui's name. Better yet, he should not enter at all!

... But  _ Silas  _ had to go. People  _ saw  _ him going in as well as waiting outside for quite some time; who knows what rumors might arise because of that.

He sighed heavily as he pulled the door open, making Kamui take her hand out of the knob. "Hopefully you'll only talk briefly. I don't think the messenger should be a man at all; especially... here..." he looked around the corridor, quickly taking a step outside so as not to linger in her room. 

"It'll be okay, Brother." Kamui touched his arm, squeezing it. "You worry too much."

"Hahh... Yeah." His head drooped in defeat. "I'll be writing that letter to send to Mother, then. If anything happens, call me."

Kamui laughed, "hahah, how? I can't fly to the East Wing, Brother." She slowly closed the door, leaving only her head outside. Silas coughed in embarrassment. "Besides, I can take care of myself."

The young man's shoulders sagged. "Yeah, that you can." He finally smiled and bid his sister farewell, turning on his heel. "Good night, newly-knighted. See you tomorrow as a fellow Royal Retainer."

"Night, Brother." Kamui wriggled goodbye with her fingers and closed the door, instantly hopping inside her room. "I'll have to write Mother as well. I'll also need Winston to send me other kinds of necessities since I only kept travelling supplies here with me." She said to herself, looking through one of her bags for a feather and ink. Then, she started writing.

 

Once late into the night did she hear a knock. "Dame Kamui? Surely you are still awake." A male voice sighed outside, making the knight jump out of her seat.

"Coming!" She ran to the door, opening it quickly. The man outside was tall -- taller than what she was used to (and her Master was a big man!), but she had seen that height not too long ago: He was as tall as Crown Prince Xander.

His hair was of a deep black, in contrast with the Prince's; it was also long and tied into a sidetail, which fell over his shoulder all the way through his chest. He stayed outside for three full seconds, narrowing his eyes as he looked at Kamui from head to toe.

Then, he stepped inside unannounced, waiting for her to close the door before turning around to face her. "I am called Richard Beaumont; Lord Xander's royal retainer."

"Oh," Kamui mumbled, "guess I know why Master told me he was 'stuck-up'."

Richard narrowed his eyes once again. "Beg pardon?"

The knight cleared her throat, averting her eyes, "I, uh, am Kamui Lantanoir, but you already knew that. You're here to brief me over my duties, yes?"

The man let out a derisive smirk. "Hah. The duties of a Royal Retainer aren't to be taken lightly, girl. T'would not take me only one night to finish describing them to you. Alas, this is not why I am here."

Kamui crossed her arms and switched her weight to one leg. “Huh,” she said simply, amused at how… interesting his personality was. She did meet a lot of different people while training under her Master, but none had such an open way to show their distaste towards something.

It was going to be interesting to work with him, to say the least. She gave him a business smile. "Oh? Then what may I take from this  _ pleasant  _ visit?" The knight asked, almost smirking.  _ I wonder how he’s gonna reply, this seems fun. _

Richard's smirk grew. He was going to like that girl. "We are already preparing a room for you and Sir Silas at the servant tower, closer to the Royal Wing. As of tomorrow, you shan't come back to this room." He said, handing her one of the scrolls he carried. "This is a simplified map of the castle; worry not for I shall send someone to escort you first thing in the morning, but it will do both of us a great service if you memorized it right away."

Kamui nodded, slightly peeking inside the scroll. Simplified indeed; it barely had descriptions of the towers and wings. Her slight frown made Richard bob his head and roll his eyes.

"Surely you weren't expecting to receive the blueprints of the secret passageways on your first day, girl."

"Ah," she raised her head to him. "It makes sense. Thank you for pointing it out." 

Regardless of her having passed the first test, it didn't mean they would trust her right from the start. Trust was something they'd need to build as she served, and she was ready to earn it, despite...

Kamui took one hand to her chin, already forgetting the man speaking in front of her. She had been sincere to Crown Prince Xander about her beast blood, but she was hiding her hoshidan descent. Like the blueprints, she would need to first earn their trust (as well as to stay on both of their good sides) before she revealed it by her own volition. On her honor as a knight, she wouldn't want to keep secrets from her Lord, after all.

"... I will also assign to you a personal servant, a butler, to aid you in your every need." Richard concluded, a satisfied smile on his face. Snapping out of her own thoughts, Kamui imagined that the gesture was of self-satisfaction for relaying the information. She was a tad off the mark, however. "Have you any questions? I don't have all night."

The knight had to take a short breath so as not snort. He was so antipathetic it was funny. "From what you have told me, I will only start my proper duties  _ weeks  _ from now? Quite frankly, Sir Beaumont, I have already trained under a Master."

Previously, while Kamui had been thinking, her ears caught what Richard was saying. He told her of the paperwork they would need to go through (though most of it was already done even before they sent the invitation to the ball) as well as the royals she would need to meet and the places she would need to see on the very next day. Then, she would start learning about Crown Prince Xander's general schedule as well as to memorize her way around Strömborg and Krakenburg Castles both. After that she would train under Richard.

"Yes, and that's served well for your rib back at the Pit, did it not?" He hardened his chin. Kamui's brow flickered. "I will need to train you to be straightforward in battle, for you need to finish any skirmish fast so as to return to your Lord's side." He bended over to stay on her level, his clear blue piercing through her red. "You are not an indomitable sword any longer; your life, your weapons and your loyalty all belong to Lord Xander now. I will not have someone unruly frolic around my liege."

Kamui withstood his gaze, pursing her mouth. As much as it pained her to admit; he was right. She knew she was brash during a fight. That was the whole reason she got hurt in first place -- surely it wouldn't be the last time, either, but she knew she had to be more disciplined.

"... I understand." She pressed her lips into a thin line. Terrible personality aside, or rather,  _ because  _ of it, his harsh words, albeit speaking truths, hurt more than they should. "Please guide me well, Sir Beaumont."

The man rose back to his height and adjusted his coat. "I beg you call me Richard. As much as I would rather not, we will need to get along from now on."

Kamui’s shoulders sagged a bit, a smirk sprouting on the side of her mouth.  Yeah, it was still funny, after all. "Why,  _ Lord  _ Beaumont, why should I extend such a courtesy to one who keeps calling me anything but my given name? What was it? 'Girl'?"

Richard smirked once again, trying not to snort. He would get along with her swimmingly. Heh.  _ ‘Swimmingly’ _ . "Very well, then. Call me anything you like... girl." He stole a glance at her as he stepped by her towards the door. "I look forward to seeing you tomorrow. Or whatever pleasantries I should say in these moments." He said before seeing himself out, not waiting for her to open the door for him.

Finally alone, she let herself snort and giggle. It was strange, really; she got immediately used to such an open distaste, in spite of fearing it for her whole life. Perhaps it was because Richard didn’t trust her (yet), but only as an individual and fellow coworker, not because of whatever she was in actuality. She would only need to prove herself by using the skills she acquired during a life of training, not to change or hide herself for what she was born with.

Regardless, the days ahead were going to be even more interesting than she had expected.

 

After pacing about her room for a while, the now Royal Retainer to His Highness Xander was too restless to simply go to sleep. Thankfully her itch was still a few days away, so she would be able to leisurely search about the castle for a good, secluded forested area to burn some energy. Her heart beating fast inside her chest, she brought the map close to the window, trying to use the faint light of the moon to read it.

It wasn't as bad where she grew up, but the closer they got to the center of Nohr, the darker it became. Thick clouds would cover the sky and prevent much of sun and moon both of passing through. Still, her eyes could see perfectly well in the dark, so she didn't mind it much.

"It's the second time... No, third time that I change places, huh?" She thought out loud, remembering how she had to get used to sleeping into a cramped room inside Sir Gallahard's mansion after moving out of the Lantanoir household. But even before that, she had had to get used to the Lantanoir themselves, since she hailed from across the ocean. "It shouldn't be too hard to get used to it, now. I think I can sleep if I concentrate hard enough."

The thumping in her chest told her otherwise, however.

This time, she was getting ready to be used to an entirely new life -- of servitude, of fighting and of self-discovery. She would need to be accustomed to go from pleasantries and small talks one moment to jumping in front of an arrow for her Lord on the next one. "My life on the line," she looked up to the peeking moon. "As it should be."

For some reason, that line of thought made her feel calmer. She remembered her Master and her training; her vows and the people who vouched for her. Closing her eyes, the knight leaned her head on the window, sitting by the large windowsill; clutching one hand over her chest.

Her new life waited.

 

Despite her initial nervousness, Kamui managed to fall asleep rather quickly, though no less late. She woke up a bit before dawn, as her inner clock had always done during her training days.

Oh, she would train, alright, but not that morning, it seemed. Based the schedule she had heard from Richard the previous evening, she would only lift her weapon again in two days. Still, as it was her custom, she once again put her training clothes, wondering if she should change into a dress instead. She  _ was  _ about to meet the Second Prince, after all.

As she pondered, a set of knocks were placed by her door. "My Lady Kamui Lantanoir?" A male voice with a deep accent asked, politely but with a hint of... annoyance? Or perhaps fatigue? Kamui couldn't quite put her finger on it from simply one question. "I am Jakob and have been assigned as of today to serve as your butler."

"Wow, it's barely dawn. I don't think eight hours have passed since I spoke with Lord Xander." She mused, walking to the door. "Thank you for your hard work, uh, Jakob." Kamui opened the door with a smile, though was received with an unamused face and a very busy butler.

He had long, silver hair tied in a braid around his head as it slithered down his back. In front of him lay a food cart, most likely her breakfast, and under it, at the cart's built-in basket, a set of folded clothes lay.

Jakob gave her a business smile, and Kamui could see how much he was  _ not  _ feeling it, but made way for him to go in after he asked to. "I trust Sir Richard has briefed you on your schedule, my lady, but I will also carry a physical agenda so as to note down your appointments." He pulled the cart towards the tea table, swiftly working on putting it. "After you are done eating, I shall escort you to the Royal Wing; you should not hesitate to ask me the way for you need to be well-acquainted to the castle as soon as possible. It would not do to have yet another denizen getting lost inside these very walls."

Kamui took one hand to her chin in thought, silently sitting by the table and watching the butler work and speak. He looked tired and aggravated at the same time; perhaps being assigned to a new master so suddenly had him on edge? "'Another' denizen? Someone's gotten lost around here recently?" She asked with a smile, trying to take his mind off of whatever's been making him mad.

He stopped midway to pouring tea, his eyebrow flickering. Uh-oh, Kamui thought. Maybe not a good change of topic.

Jakob turned to place a small basket of baked goods in the middle, the smile frozen over his lips. "Strömborg is a big castle. People getting lost inside of it is not unheard of." He replied, going back to pouring the tea.

"Oh," Kamui lifted her hand instinctively. "I don't really mind lukewarm tea, but it would be better if you warmed the cup by pouring hot water first, or else the hot tea will grow cold faster in contact with the cold cup." She said, remembering her squire days when she had to learn how to serve tea and put tables.

Another brow twitch; his smile even more frozen. "Of course I knew that, milady. If this amusing display of servitude is done, I would have milady eat before we get ourselves late. We still need to see if your uniform will fit."

Kamui had already started munching on a piece of bread lest she changed the subject to another unpleasant topic and raised one eyebrow. "Is it really done?" She asked after swallowing. "I can't believe it."

Jakob raised his chin, "only the most accomplished are allowed to work inside the castle. Lady Bithell is a most distinguished professional." He pulled the sets of clothes from inside the cart and raised the upper half so Kamui could see it.

It was a navy blue tailcoat-like jacket: The tail was as long as a long coat, but it only covered the back, the buttons going all the way to the neck through the off-center of the body, beside the  right breast so as to allow a round opening at the chest area, forming a cleavage of sorts. Over the shoulders lay golden  [ epaulettes ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epaulette) , color of which complemented the details over the chest pocket and buttons as well as belt chain.

Kamui had to put one hand over her mouth so the food she was munching wouldn't be shown around, unable to hide her surprise. "She... certainly she didn't finish this all in one night, right?" The knight gulped down her food, widening her eyes to inspect the details. The entire coat was sewn with a brocade fabric, one tone darker than the main navy blue, making it even more grand.

Jakob took the undershirt from inside the coat: it was a string top with a deep cleavage in V, so it wouldn't show through the coat's keyhole opening, of a simple white and sparse black stripes. Then, he sneered. "Lady Bithell always has hundreds of outfits sewn in advance for all sorts of occasions. She simply needed to adjust it to your size."

The knight nodded under her teacup, still amazed at the flawless work on the uniform. Speaking of, it vaguely resembled the outfit Richard had been using in the previous night. Now that Kamui thought about it, it made sense for the seamstress to have one set or five of the same uniform for royal retainers. She gulped down the rest of her tea at the same time Jakob took out two different kinds of bottoms: A mini skirt and a pair of pants. Both of which were white with blue brocade at both sides.

"You can also choose the skirt or the pants variation; truly yet another work of art from Lady Bithell." Jakob mused with a serious smile, almost as though he envied how well made the uniform was.

The skirt was cute, but Kamui was very much used to wearing pants due to her training. "You can put away the skirt, Jakob. I'll take the pants."  _ Frankly, I don't think I'm ever gonna use it _ , she thought as she got up. "Thank you for everything, by the way. I'm looking forward to working with you from now on." She gave him a short bow.

He had just twisted his nose due to thinking of how much better the skirt would look like, but then his shoulder sagged with her respectful speech. He handed her the uniform lest he, gods forbid, smiled because of someone he just met. "Likewise, milady. Now, let's make haste so as not to keep Lord Leo waiting."

 

While Kamui changed behind the folding screen, she heard Jakob put away the cutlery and dishes back onto the cart and silently leave the room so as to take it back to the kitchen. He was back right after she finished changing, and she wondered if either the western kitchen was close or if he had sprinted back.

Well, she wouldn't ask, of course, but that would keep bothering her for a while.

The halls were deserted, especially the guest corridor into which they walked. No way that the ladies who usually attended to such balls would wake up at dawn, especially in the Royal Castle -- they would want to extend their stay for as long as possible, after all.

They took many a left and right; Kamui's memorizing of the map proving useful to knowing where they were heading as well as how to go back to her room. "Oh. Wait." She placed her closed hand over her open palm. "I won't go back there tonight."

Jakob but glanced behind to his newest liege, catching onto her trail of thought. "Indeed, you will not. I shall take you to your new quarters after you are done meeting the prince and his," he let out a low groan and a deep sigh, "retainer."

Was... was something wrong with Second Prince Leo's retainer? She wanted to ask very badly, but something in how Jakob's expression fell made her stop herself. Would it be yet another unique type to get used to? 

The answer would come faster than she would expect. "HOT DAMN," someone said from ahead of them, close to the glade where their meeting was scheduled to happen. Kamui frowned and tilted her head to the side, looking to where the voice came from.

A tall man with dark skin, white hair and a black eyepatch approached at large steps. He wore an uniform akin to Kamui's, though the coat lay over his shoulders and the inner shirt was long sleeved as well as unbuttoned all the way down his chest. " _ This _ is your new master, Jakey?" He whistled, ogling Kamui from head to toe, his eyes especially focused on the keyhole cleavage her chest.

Jakob groaned, taking one step back. "I'll have you stop calling me this stupid nickname, Niles."

"Why, but that's not what you told me last night," the man called Niles winked and licked his lips, action of which made Jakob shake with goosebumps.

The butler raised his index into the other man's face. "Such disgusting remark will get you nowhere, you filth!"

Kamui watched the interchange without really knowing how to react. They looked like the got along... probably? Jakob seemed very intent in not letting Niles get into a one meter radius of him, which only made the other man more intent into chasing him. A deep sigh and a groan from behind Niles' back caught Kamui's attention.

"Niles, stop that."

The tall man lifted both hands, as though caught red handed, though the wolfish grin never left his face. "As you wish, milord." He took a step back, revealing none other than the Second Prince, Lord Leo, himself.

He was shorter than Niles by two heads, and more than a few inches shorter than Kamui, to the point where she had to look down to face him. Her eyes immediately sparkled. Someone smaller! Finally!

Leo's, however, narrowed. He already felt a complex about his height, -- his brother was one of the tallest men he knew of, after all -- so seeing that look of utter joy (albeit poorly concealed) only ticked him off more.

"I've heard that Brother's picked you up to be his retainer. Welcome." He said curtly, not about to dismiss pleasantries because of their height difference. "I am the Second Prince of Nohr and am called Leo, but you already knew that."

Kamui tried not to snort at the 'picked you up' part, since it felt as though Lord Xander simply took a stray cat out of the streets or something. Like he would ever do that!

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Lord Leo," Kamui gave him a formal bow. "I am Kamui Lantanoir and will be serving under Lord Xander from today on."

Leo simply nodded in response, already aware of everything regarding her, and bobbed his head towards the tall man. "This here is Niles, my retainer. Don't let his rude manner of speech fool you; he's my eyes and ears in this castle." The prince lowered his head, looking at Kamui under his bangs, the atmosphere surrounding him suddenly getting colder. "If you ever think of trying to do something funny, know that I'll always be one step ahead of you."

The knight felt a chill run down her spine, wondering if the temperature had literally dropped and hardened her chin, concealing a smirk. "Why, Lord Leo, you need not worry about such things." She bended down towards him, "I'll tell you myself if such thoughts occur."

"Wha-" Leo took two steps back, slapping one hand over the ear Kamui whispered on, his face bright red. "How- preposterous! How dare you speak to me in such a tone!"

"Hot damn," Niles repeated, whistling. "Won't you talk to  _ me  _ like that instead, Kamui?"

"That'll depend if you'll behave." Kamui chuckled, then looked over his shoulder to Leo. "Forgive my brash attitude, my Lord. I've been told I act before I think sometimes, especially when challenged."

Still bright-red, Leo cleared his throat and straightened his back. "See that it doesn't happen again." He turned on his heel to the corridor whence they came. "Let's go, Niles. We've been introduced."

The retainer put one finger over his lips, "why, milord, aren't you forgetting something? What about the message; should we simply ignore it?"

Leo froze on his step, the embarrassment making him quickly wishing to leave. He turned around as though nothing had happened and walked back to Kamui. "You were supposed to meet both me and my older sister, Camilla, but she was suddenly called to a mission and had to leave while it was still night out."

A set of large steps echoed through the corridor to where Leo meant to go previously, a deep and unwilling voice speaking before its owner could make himself seen. "Indeed. She took off in the middle of the night with her wyvern brigade." Richard stepped out of the corridor, holding a somewhat thick bundle of documents with one hand. "Good day to you, little Lord."

"Richard, how many times must I say--" Leo tilted his head to the older man, the blush coming back to his cheeks.

"Yes, yes, forgive me for stating the obvious my Lord. Thank you for delivering the message and for conducting the introductions so... masterfully." Richard glanced down at the prince, and although his lips didn't smile, his voice had a contemptuous tone.

Leo groaned for the nth time that morning, his shoulders sagging. "I'm not getting anything by staying here and being mocked. Come, Niles, we're done here."

"Riiiight behind you, my lord." Niles replied, winking at Jakob before following his liege back into the corridor.

Richard put a few strands of hair behind his ear, "Now that that's done with," he looked at his new partner.

Kamui blinked, then smiled. "Good morning,  _ Sir _ ." She gave him a head nod. "Isn't Lord Xander with you?"

There was a moment of pause, which Richard used to look at all sides, then back at Kamui. "Are you seeing him somewhere, girl?"

Kamui almost snorted, wondering if she would ever get truly used to that behavior.

"Regardless, Lord Xander has much to do, and I would very much like to go back to his side; being caught up with seeing to the guests until all of them leave will not do without a close aide beside him." He said, turning to the left and resuming his walk.

Glancing at Jakob before moving, Kamui followed the man's large steps, her butler close behind. "Should I not be there, then?" She asked.

Richard almost stopped walking just so he could stare at her until she apologized, but decided against it. "You still need to go through the paperwork," he tapped on the documents he held, "as well as... surely I've already told you all of this last night? I'll need to see to Lord Xander after I take you to the Master of Coin, Lord Jaubert."

"Very well." She replied. From what he had told her, they would go through the dates for the pay day, for any day offs she might be able to get as well as a simple overview of her responsibilities and rights within the castle.

Despite being technically a 'servant', as in, 'someone who serves someone else', Royal Retainers held many benefits inside the castle: They were assigned rooms of their own, as well as restricted knowledge (depending on the Prince or Princess they served) and the ability to traverse through any area within both castles, as per their liege's directions. Since Kamui was of noble birth, or rather, of noble upbringing as well as an officially knighted Dame, she had the luxury of having a butler of her own. The Royal Retainer's rooms were also the closest ones to their liege's, although on different towers entirely. During any which high-risk time, they would be allowed to guard the anteroom of their liege's bedroom in order to be ready for anything.

What's more, she would also be given a platoon to command under the Crown Prince's banner as well as responsibilities to oversee their training as well as morale. She would get free leeway to go out and back of the castle without being stopped by the guards as well as a badge of valor for people to know who she answers to.

If she performed well during the war, she might even receive a title, much like her Master Sir Gallahard the Watchful.

Her duties also included having a good image at court for there might come a time to use her family's name or connections for her liege's sake -- keeping a level head amongst the senior knights who vouched for her would be essential should a time come to ask for their swords in battle as well.

Being the  _ Crown Prince _ 's representant into court or events was also an added burden no other retainer but her and her partner bore.

There were many other, say, 'smaller' duties she would have to perform, though no less important. They would consist of sorting out the paperwork needed for the Prince to sign from the ones directed to the King; oversee his meetings with the nobles should they request and audience as well as transcribing such meetings so as to archive them; stay on guard and inspect the Prince's belongings whenever there would be a mission out, as well as taste-testing for poison should the need arise (although, as Richard had commented, Xander didn't really like anyone taste-testing his food, though still complied).

In contrast, her own belongings would be able to bypass any such inspections, alongside the royal family's. That meant any package, bag, letter or guest (invited with a handwritten permit signed by both her and her liege) would be admitted in and out of the castle. Though, until she had gained their trust, she was excluded from this particular benefit, as Richard noted so vehemently.

As Royal Retainer, her authority would be subjected only to the Prince she served and the King -- should neither of them be present, her authority could rival the Royal Advisor's, and it would depend on the situation for the servants to choose who to follow (due to her being new there, all but the ones directly under her would probably follow the Advisor; but, in time, she might build her own reputation and respect so as to be heard). Her Master had also told her that no retainer could order the other -- they were equals in position and authority. She should only do as Richard said as long as it aligned with her own line of thought; if not, she was free to refuse and nothing would happen to her, sans, of course, hearing him talk for hours.

Kamui would accumulate her duties slowly by the course of two weeks, all the while undergoing morning training with Richard. After that, she would be presented to the King and the Royal Advisor (the disgusted face Richard made when speaking of that man was unparalleled to Kamui, even after years of service) at Castle Krakenburg so as to be formally accepted as retainer. She was told her brother would undergo lesser formalities, though both of them would meet the King at the same time.

The knight puffed her chest, eager to get herself busy. She had spent most of her life training her body, but in there she would need to push herself to her ultimate limit -- strength, graciousness, a quick and witty mind as well as a keen eye... she would need all of that and more to be on par with her partner and liege.

They were leaving the Master of Coin’s study after speaking with him, as one of the people who oversaw the flow of gold inside the castle. Richard gave a relieved sigh, a derisive smile painted across his face.

"I must say I'm ever glad to be rid of you, Jakob."

The butler, who was waiting outside, flickered his brow, a smile frozen on his lips.  _ Oh, the same smile I saw this morning _ , Kamui thought as he spoke. "Why, thank you for speaking my mind out for me, Richard. Although I am still doomed to see your relentless mug whenever I accompany my lady."

The retainer took one step towards the butler, their faces smiling, but the sparks flickering around them almost capable of raising hairs. "Well, I could arrange for you to never show your face up in the daylight again, little man." 

That seemed to have hit a nerve, and Kamui saw how Jakob's eyes wavered with regret. "I will remain wherever my outstanding skills are needed. Unfortunately, they require me to be in your presence." He managed to say despite the lump in his throat.

They were exchanging insults back and forth, but Kamui felt that there was a deeper meaning for that apart from their terrible personalities. She saw how Jakob faltered when Richard spoke of not letting him see the light.

"As amusing as it is to speak with you -- ah, who am I kidding, it is not -- I have places to be. I cannot let Lord Xander be retainer-less for much longer." Richard turned on his heel, his long hair twirling behind him and almost hitting Jakob on the face. "Do go on and show your new master where she has to be, now." He waved, dismissing both of them as his long legs carried him back the way they came.

Kamui glanced at Jakob, curiosity blooming inside of her; seeing the cold anger plastered across his face only made her want to know even more. "Is... there something going on?" She asked tactfully.

The butler flinched and blinked to snap out of it. "How disgraceful of me. Forgive me for showing such an unsightly display to you, my lady." He gave her a quick bow and turned on his heel towards the opposite side Richard had gone. "We should hurry to our next destination."

_ Dodging the question, eh?  _ Kamui thought, silently following. "Jakob..." Her voice sounded as though she was about to scold him -- if they were going to serve together, she would need to know what was going on so she could either help him or avoid having both of them meet altogether.

Jakob took a deep breath and sighed, not slowing down nor turning back to look at his lady's eyes. " _ Something _ ... did happen in a not so distant past and so Lord Xander had me serve under him personally so as to keep an eye on me." His voice sounded low and regretful. Despite his best efforts to learn the butling art, Jakob knew he had never been very good at it -- especially because he had never been assigned a specific Master until one year previous. Lord Xander had especially promoted him from Footman to Butler just so he would serve day and night.

Sighing, he went on, however briefly. "I was most likely assigned to you so that, should anything happen, you would be the, if I may use such a vulgar word, the ‘victim’. And not Lord Xander."

Kamui pursed her lips, wondering what had happened: From the looks of it, something grave transpired and Richard bickered with Jakob for almost one full year, worried about Lord Xander being in the company of someone who committed a transgression. Would it be up to Kamui to find out if Jakob was a trustworthy person or were they just dumping him onto her to protect the Crown Prince?

The retainer bobbed her head to the sides, Jakob's story clearly done. "I would like to know more, but if it's painful to talk about, I don't mind waiting." She said with mixed feelings. Jakob had an attitude, but he was devoted to his duties, despite not being experienced enough to perform them.

It took some time for Jakob to swallow the lump in his throat. "Thank you, milady. I... will need to prepare myself before saying it, however I do thank you for your patience." He lowered his head while still walking, and Kamui wondered what kind of expression he wore at that moment.

Richard seemed to be the type who distrusted everyone but his liege (which was somewhat good, since he was so zealous), so seeing him bicker with Jakob as well as the butler's guilty demeanor only made Kamui think that her partner was the one being harsh. But that was a matter for another time.

For today, she would go around the castle with Jakob, as well as to learn her way to Krakenburg through the inner courtyard instead of the main road. In the afternoon, she would meet with Princess Elise as well as her new and old retainers -- she would meet Silas again, but this time as a certified Royal Retainer, though she would also like to see him in his new uniform.

Jakob got his composure back and if Kamui hadn't witnessed the bickery, she wouldn't have guessed that something had happened just earlier that morning.  _ Oh well _ , she shrugged,  _ all I have to do is wait, now. Thouuugh if it takes too long, I might ask again _ .

She knew how terrible it was to keep something from other people, especially secret pain. As curious as she was, she also simply wanted to help ease his burdens and clear the misunderstanding ( _ if _ that was the case, of course) going on between him, her liege and her partner.

While she was thinking, and after being presented to most of Strömborg Castle, she heard a familiar voice. "Kamui!"

"Oh, Brother!" She replied with a smile, seeing Silas in the distance, close to the same glade she was introduced to Prince Leo earlier that morning.

A little girl and a young woman walked in front of Silas: The girl had blonde hair styled in four large curls on either side of her head, two big bows tying them together; the young woman had short, silver hair and was about Kamui's height, despite being at least 3 years younger.

The royal retainer almost pouted, finding more tall people at every corner of that castle, but the sight of the young and smiling princess brought warmth to her heart.

They caught up to each other and Silas gave a head nod to Jakob before turning to his sister. "Kamui, this is Princess Elise, my newest liege, and this is Effie, my partner."

The girl called Effie gave Kamui a short bow and smiled as Elise opened her arms and let out an exclamation of surprise. "Wooow, you're so pretty!" She giggled, taking both of Kamui's hands so as to pull the retainer down to her short height. "Your eyes are just like Big Brother's!" She mused, her light red staring deep into Kamui's dark red. "You know, everyone in my family has red eyes, but Big Brother Xander's are the darkest, just like yours! Wow!"

Kamui crouched so as to be easier to talk with the small princess -- barely 12, as she had heard -- and smiled. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lady Elise. And I thank you for the compliment -- to be compared to my Lord of all people fills my heart with pride."

"Oh!" Elise brought both hands to her mouth, "where are my manners? Nice to meet you!" She curtsied with her short skirt, her curls bouncing beside her face. "You're Silas' sister, right? What a coincidence to have both of you work here at the same time!"

"Indeed," Kamui got up and bowed, looking at her brother. Both him and his partner also wore a variation of the retainer uniform, though his was a mix of dark purple and black while hers was of a lighter magenta and white. Effie didn't wear her coat, however, and wore a shirt akin to Niles', though hers was completely buttoned up. "How has he treated you, my Lady? Is he satisfactory?" Kamui teased, looking from her brother to the young princess.

Elise beamed. "Heehee, he's great! He trips sometimes and is super fun to talk to -- oh, and his hair has such a funny cowlick!" She pointed to the perpetual curve her brother's hair has had since forever and Kamui couldn't help but snort as Silas blushed.

"Lady Elise!" He complained, embarrassed, which only made the princess laugh even more. She was so happy her newest retainer was easy to talk to! Hopefully he would stay longer than the last one did...

Elise suddenly looked crestfallen, but immediately bounced herself back up, shaking her head. "Hey, Kamui, what're you gonna do now? Let's go on a tour around the castle!" She asked, trying to shoo away the bad thoughts.

Kamui's shoulders sagged. "Forgive me, Lady Elise, but I  _ just  _ finished being shown around Strömborg. I'll have to go to Krakenburg now."

The mention of the other castle made Elise flinch, as though something scary lived there. She looked down, "I see..." after a pause, she looked back up, "well, then when Big Sister Camilla is back, let's go have tea with everyone! I wanna know more about the stuff happening outside!"

_ Oh, I see _ , Kamui thought with understanding. Since she was still young, Princess Elise wasn't allowed outside of the castle much, if ever, and even less at court. At that age, she had to focus on her studies so as to properly represent Nohr once she was of age.

"Of course, my Lady." Kamui nodded and Elise bounced -- she loved the pastries her big sister made, after all! 

"Lady Kamui..." Jakob urged behind the royal retainer after taking a look at his pocket watch. If they didn't hurry, they wouldn't make it in time for the afternoon tea.

"Oh, right." Kamui looked over her shoulder to the butler, then turned to the princess, "well then, Lady Elise, we have to take our leave." She looked from the young girl to her brother, who gave her a nod in acknowledgement.

"Aw, alright." Elise puffed her cheeks. "Don't forget about our promise to have tea, okay?"

"I would never forget it, my Lady."

 

Unlike Strömborg, Krakenburg Castle carried a heavy air of impatience and briskness inside of it: the servants were always quick on their feet and soldiers marched up and down the corridors and countless staircases. The Castle was located in the heart of Nohr, built right in the middle of the Wyvern Caves, so as to make it the dragon’s training ground as well as their stable. It was said that the underground tunnels reached as far as the Demon’s Fall, usually weeks of ride away from Windmire. The Castle was not only the nohrian army's standpost, but also Nohr's military center of power and knowledge -- the library in Krakenburg differed greatly from the one inside Strömborg, and it was also in Krakenburg that the Sealed Royal Treasury lay as well, protected by a door imbued with a Dragon Vein.

Despite having his living quarters back in Strömborg, it was in Krakenburg that the King effectively lived, being always busy with the war against Hoshido as well as any troubles with rebelling tribes and towns -- and Kamui felt nervous about having even the slightest probability, albeit unlikely, of bumping into the King while they toured around the corridors.

She had planned on using the next day to study at the library at Strömborg-- she would need to reinforce her knowledge about the noble houses affiliated with the Crown as well as any source of bargaining power Nohr might have to negotiate with them without using force -- but the one in Krakenburg had rarer texts and out-of-limits areas... which only spurred her curiosity more. She knew she had to get her Lord's permission to browse on the restricted area, but the thrill of simply being  _ there _ , close to them, made her want to study at Krakenburg instead.

She wouldn't, though, of course. The library in Strömborg served her needs for the time being and she wasn't ready to meet the King just yet, even if the probability of that happening being close to zero.

The day went by quicker than it began and soon Kamui was being escorted to her newest room at the servant tower, connected to the Royal Wing by a long corridor three stories above the ground. Both ends were guarded at all times, and only the ones serving directly under the royal family were allowed to pass -- the rest would have to take the long way around by walking down the stairs towards the main entrance.

Her room was immensely smaller than the one she had used previously -- of course, since that one was meant for noble guests, it had to look the part -- though still roomy for a servant's quarters. She  _ was  _ a Royal Retainer after all, so that showed on the size of her room and the treatment she received from the other servants living on her floor.

She found out Silas was living one floor above her, and would make it an habit to visit him after their jobs were done for the day to talk about their lives in the castle.

Not that night, however. She had a plan for the light's out time, and that was to explore the nearby forest as well as the immense garden in search of a place for her to safely have her itches at. Since her room was only three stories above the ground, she could jump down and back up so as to sneak in and out, though not as easily as she did back at the Lantanoir two-story mansion.

The night was dark and the stars hid themselves behind the thick clouds, but Kamui could see well as always -- the forest was indeed big, and it stretched all the way towards the outer wall of the castle, as though they have kept an untapped forest inside their walls for hunting purposes. If she managed to keep herself exactly in the middle -- not too close to the garden as well as far from the well-watched walls, she would be fine during her itches.

"Well, at least I won't have to worry about being caught. These woods are so thick and... wild. There're even some bogs around, so I'll have to be careful not to fall on one of them during the times I can't think straight." She whispered to herself as she walked back to the tower, glancing sideways to check for guards.

Once the coast was clear, she jumped onto a tree and from it to her window, swiftly climbing back up. She had refused the bath Jakob had prepared earlier since she wanted to take it only after her night stroll, so the water was already cold once she got inside the round wooden tub.

There was so much on her mind -- the information she absorbed, the prospect of doing her duty, the need to get used to having her itches as well as the eagerness to meet her subordinates once her  _ re _ training was done.

She was going to be sincere with them; they would need to trust her so as to properly follow her orders after all, so she was planning to tell them about her beast blood and itches from the start. Of course, the fear of rejection she had always felt gripped at her heart as though a cold hand squeezed it, but her Master's words always gave her strength. As long as they performed their duties side by side, they would accept her -- or at least tolerate her.

Either way, she had two immediate goals in mind: She would need to tell Lord Xander and Sir Richard about her itches, as well as her subordinates; and to eventually tell all of them about her hoshidan descent, once they all have built their trust.

Of course, she also wanted to borrow as many books about beasts as she could so as to find out  _ what  _ exactly she was, as well as to talk to Jakob about his issues with Lord Xander and Richard, but those would come around eventually.

The weight of responsibility pressed over her shoulders, but Kamui smiled with confidence. She would perform her duties well and work hard to find out the truth about herself and end the war while she was at it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Managed to post it before the end of the year, yay!  
> Although a bit long, I felt like not much happened here plot-wise... The chapter was supposed to be EVEN LONGER than that (at least 20k words), but I thought it would get too tiring, so I cut it in half. From the next chapter onwards, Kamui's gonna interact with Xander a lot more, finally! I can't wait, heehee!  
> Please tell me what you think~


End file.
